Fractured
by mariahills-capsicle
Summary: Once again Sans finds himself on the surface awaiting reset. He distances himself from his family- why get attached? But this time, Sans is not alone in his struggle with fear and anxiety. After taking in a little orphan monster, will he finally be able to forget his nightmares and focus on his friends and family before he looses himself, and those who are most important to him?
1. Chapter 1: Surface

**Hello, all! If you follow me, you know I mostly post Marvel stuff. But me and my wonderful cousin, (who is posting this on Archive of our Own as we speak) decided to write this little fanfiction for Undertale! My cousin is writing all the parts from Sans' POV, and I'll be writing all the parts from our OC's POV.**

 **I hope you all enjoy it!**

 **-mariahills-capsicle**

* * *

Day 324.

Still no reset.

Sans had just woken up from a restless sleep, dark circles lined the bottom of his dark eyes. The usually white pinprick of light in his eyes reflected more of a gray. As much as Sans wanted to remain in bed, he got up. He fumbled around with his feet for his slippers, which he lazily slipped on. It had been a while since he'd seen his brother, Or any of his friends for that matter. _Good._ He thought to himself, _why get attached? We'll all be reset eventually_.

The tired skeleton reached for his phone that lay charging on his bedside table. 8 missed calls from Papyrus and 8 new voicemails along with them. Sans reluctantly pressed 'play'.

"HELLO BROTHER! IT HAS BEEN A WHILE! I WAS WORR-"

8 deleted voicemails.

If Sans couldn't face his brother, why would listening to his voice be any better? Sans walked into the kitchen, It was a mess; the trashcan in the corner of the room was filled to the brim with take-out containers and empty bags of chips, some of which spilled out onto the floor. Then again, the entire house was a mess. Sans shrugged it off, like he usually did. The skeleton made his way over to the fridge, of course, there was nothing in there. Nothing except a plastic container labeled 'spaghetti'. Sans looked away from it, his memories flooding back.

Memories of Papyrus nearly burning down their house in Snowdin… memories of Papyrus cooking his 'famous' spaghetti… Sans pushed the thoughts away. Sure, He missed his little brother, but he didn't want to see the tall skeleton… not like this. Besides, he would see him again shortly, wouldn't he? As soon as the world resets once more and they're back in Snowdin, building puzzles and snow Papyruses. Sans tried to make the best of a bad situation, _well… at least I have a house all to myself now…_

Sans glanced around, the empty house was dark and cold. The skeleton looked over at the window. Newly smashed. _Great._ Sans walked over to the glass on the carpet, a rock with a note attached was in the middle of the debris. Sans picked it up, brushing a few shards of glass away.

"Monster scum" the note read in large red letters. Well, it hasn't been the first time he'd been called that. When monsters had returned to the surface, they didn't exactly get a warm welcome. In fact, it was just a few months ago that monsters had gotten the right to… have rights. That didn't stop some humans though. Monsters were getting mugged, beat and even killed constantly; apparently some humans don't take kindly to sharing their planet.

Some monsters argued that it was worth it. The death. The suffering. Just to see the sun. Just to see the stars. Sans? Well. He doesn't care. Why should he care? At least _some_ humans were kind enough to house some of the monsters that came to the surface. Asgore made accommodations for all of his friends and Frisk's friends as well. But that was easy enough for

him, being king of the monsters. That meant Sans got his own house. Paid for and everything, while monsters risked their lives everyday just to get to work.

Didn't matter to Sans, of course, the short skeleton liked it this way; never having to leave the house, never having to see the snow, which reminded him so greatly of home. Sans gave up on trying to find food, and went straight for a cup of coffee, like he usually did. As the pot brewed, he walked into the living room and attempted to cover the gaping hole, that used to be a window, up with a blanket. Of course, minimal effort was put into this, but it was enough to stop the wind from making the house any colder.

The coffee was done, Sans liked it black. He liked the bitter taste of it, it reminded him of daily life. He grabbed himself a mug from the cabinet above, having to stand on his toes to do so. Sans poured the boiling black liquid into his mug, staring down into the swirling darkness. His phone rings,quickly pulling him out of his trance.

Papyrus is calling…

One missed call from Papyrus.

Sans pushed his phone away to the far corner of the counter. He likely wouldn't touch it for the rest of the day. Sans pondered what he should do for the rest of the day, but upon realization, he gave an audible sigh. _Nothing._

* * *

When Franklin woke up, the gray sky almost tricked him into thinking that he was back underground. It was only seconds later that he remember where he was in reality, and he leaned back on the garbage bag he had been sleeping on and tried to _pretend_ he was back home. Not in the five places his parents had called 'home' in the past 11 months, but his real home- the one underground. He imagined his mom was waking him up for breakfast, and he imagined he heard his dad's laugh downstairs, while he talked to one of their friendly neighbors.

After a moment more of daydreaming, Franklin sat up to face reality. It had been five months since he had seen his parents. Five months since he had watched them die. The memory of the event sent shivers down his bones, and he suppressed the tears that he so desperately needed to shed.

No. It was time to be a man. He had to be strong in order to survive. He climbed up from where he sat, shivering in the crisp, January air. Time to get to work. Frankie spent most his days begging on street corners, not that anyone would listen. Humans hated monsters, and despite the fact that Frankie was only nine- he was just as abused as any other. Sometimes a monster-supporter would pass by and drop of few coins (or, he once got a one dollar bill!) into the dirty, torn up backpack he had, and sometimes a friendly looking human would walk by and see he was a child and take pity on him and give him the rest of their tiny fast food hamburger, but those moments were so rare.

His favorite corner to sit on had always been the corner of Quarter and Main Street. That was always where most of the people were, which could either be good or bad. Yesterday, for example (and most other days, now that he thought about it), was bad.

" _Mommy, look at that poor little boy. He looks very cold. Can we help him?" A little six year old girl had pointed towards him. He held up his little backpack hopefully, but the mother looked frightened, and pulled her daughter far away from Franklin._

" _Keep away from their type, sweetheart." She said, fear in her voice. Franklin bowed his head in shame._

Oh yes, yesterday had been a terrible day.

"Maybe I should try a different corner today." Frankie said aloud to himself. He straightened his little red scarf, and pulled his torn up backpack onto his shoulder and hurried off down the street to find a good place to camp out for the day.

* * *

It was past noon, Frankie had had no success, and it was beginning to snow. Franklin was freezing, he hugged himself tightly, trying to keep his teeth from chattering. He watched as people walked by his little cardboard sign and open backpack without a second glance. That was when he saw a rowdy group of human teenagers making their way down the street. They were laughing and talking about girls, and Frankie stared at them sadly- knowing they had no care in the whole world. How unfair the surface life was… how cruel and broken. He suddenly missed his parents, and felt a tear slowly roll down his cheekbone.

"Aw, look at this!" The sarcastic voice brought Frankie back to reality. "A poor, little monster _baby."_ The leader of the teenagers was standing just above Frankie now, a sneer on his face, and a glint of hatred in his green eyes. Frankie quickly wiped away his tears with the sleeve of his gray hoodie.

"What are you all sad about, freak?" Another teenager snarled. "You're the ones taking our homes, our jobs- our land. You should go back to where you came from!" Frankie took in deep breath and looked away, deciding it would be best not to respond- that's what he did for most everyone anyways.

"Look at us when we're talking to you, freak!" A foot slammed against Frankie's ribcage. Frankie collapsed backwards, gasping for breath. He grabbed his pack and tried to scramble away, but another foot slammed against him from the other side.

"You monsters don't belong here! This is the human world!" A teen shouted. Then someone threw a rock, hitting the poor skeleton in the shoulder blade.

"Ow!" Frankie cried, tears spilling freely down his cheekbones. "Stop, please! You're hurting me!"

"He wants us to stop." The leader laughed. Frankie looked desperately over at the onlookers. Some took pleasure watching the little boy being tormented. Others were too afraid to intervene. A policeman leaned against a stop sign nearby, watching but not moving, Frankie almost swore he saw a little smile on the human's face. Another kick slammed into Frankie, and he gasped aloud, but at last he was able to scramble to his feet and push his way through the teenagers to freedom. Rocks sailed after him, slamming into his bones, one missed his skull by an inch. Frankie ran hard, and as far as he could, sobbing all the way.

" _Mommy, daddy? Why are we leaving the underground?"_

" _Don't you want to see the sun, Frank?" His dad had said._

" _Imagine all the beautiful stars- real stars!" His mother had replied._

"I don't want the sun and stars!" Frankie sobbed, and he slowed to a halt, realizing that no one had followed him. "I just want you back! I want you back..." He tried to catch his breath, but he couldn't stop crying, so he continued wandering slowly through the neighborhood he had ended up in.

By the time the sun was beginning to set, only a couple hours later, Frankie was completely lost, and it was getting colder. The wind began to howl around him and the snow was falling down thicker. He was going to freeze tonight if he couldn't find a warm place to stay. That's when he saw it, through his tears. A small house on the corner. The yard wasn't taken care of at all, and there was no vehicle out front. The big front window had been shattered. As Frankie drew closer he realized that someone had pinned up a blanket to keep out the cold, but it was still accessible.

 _Someone lives here._ He thought, but he was too cold to care. With his teeth chattering, he climbed over the broken shards of glass and under the blanket and into a warm living room.

 _There are no lights on._ Frankie thought _, So whoever lives here must be asleep. I'll just stay here until morning and slip out before they wake up._ Frankie tiptoed across the room, and fell down onto the old, orange couch. It was the ugliest couch he'd seen in a long time. However, it was very comfortable, and, despite his plan to stay awake and slip out before dawn, Frankie soon fell fast asleep.


	2. Chapter 2: Orphaned

**And we're back! My cousin and I decided we're going to _try_ and update every three days. (Key word being _try_ ). **

**Thank you all so much for the reviews! We hope you like this chapter too.**

 **-mariahills-capsicle**

* * *

Day 325.

Still no reset.

Sans wakes up again, grudgingly removing his covers from his tired bones. Maybe someday, he'll actually get a decent sleep. That day was obviously not today. With his bones creaking as he shifted, Sans put his slippers on once more. _The daily routine._ Sans chuckled out loud. His life was so monotonous.

He made his way to the kitchen, his footsteps causing the entire house to creak and moan. The sleepy skeleton began to brew himself a cup of coffee.

"Another day… another cup of joe... " Sans mumbled deeply, "Aaaaand now i'm talking to myself. That's just great."

The coffee takes quite some time to brew, the entire time, Sans just stood there, leaning against the counter and watching the coffee drip its way into the pot below. It wasn't until the small red light on the side of the coffee maker shut off that he moved, reaching to the top shelf, he pulled himself down a mug. Across the cup it read '#1 bro'. Papyrus had gotten it for him for Christmas.

Sans turns the mug to the side, so that the words faced away from him. Only to reveal a badly photoshopped image of him and Papyrus side by side. Sans didn't go anywhere for Christmas, he wanted to stay home, but lo and behold: Papyrus and everyone showed up at his front door, offering gifts and hugs. As much as Sans appreciated the gesture, he asked everyone to leave shortly afterwards.

Sans didn't want any new memories of happiness that would just be torn away from him. Snapping out of his deep thoughts, Sans poured the hot black beverage into his mug. Some of it sloshed out of the cup and onto the counter, but Sans shrugged it off, like usual. As he walked out of the kitchen, gripping the warm mug tightly, he froze.

On the hideous orange couch, a small bundle lay in the middle. Sans could barely make it out in the dim lighting. Sans felt for a lightswitch on the wall, as soon as he found one, the lights flickered a bit before filling the room with a dim light.

"Why the hell…. is there a child on my couch…."

Sans stared in disbelief at the small skeleton that lay dormant on his faded couch. Sans cautiously approached the petite bundle, setting his coffee down as he walked by the kitchen table. Taking a closer look, the skeleton was absolutely coated in dirt and other substances, His clothes were torn and faded. Carefully, Sans advances, reaching a shaky hand down to the skeleton child. After giving the kid a small shake, the child's eyes widen.

Sans returns the expression, but before he could act, the child leaps away from him. The kid is clearly terrified, his eye sockets were alert and his entire body trembled.

"Hey, h-hey kiddo. It's alright." Sans tried to reassure the little skeleton, but the kid seems even more unsettled by his words.

"P-please… I just n-needed a place to stay!" There were tears in the kids eyes, Sans didn't know what to do, he just looked at the kid in horror. _Is this kid alone?_

"D'you got a family, kid?" Sans asked cautiously, the kid couldn't be more than 10, surely he must have someone to go home to. The kid trembled a bit,

"M-my… Parents… They…" The small skeleton falls to his knees, breaking into a sob. Sans, without thinking, rushes to the kid, kneeling down.

"Hey. It's okay kid. I'm not angry.", Sans says softly, reaching out to put a skeletal hand on the kid's shoulder. The kid flinches at his touch, but doesn't move away.

"Y'got a name, kiddo?" The child wipes some tears from his cheekbones, sniffling.

"F-Franklin."

"The name's Sans. Sans the skeleton. Nice to meet ya' Frankie" Sans offers Frankie a soft smile, Frankie returns it. Sans gets up, offering his hand to Franklin. He takes it.

"You hungry, Frankie?"

Sans pulls Frankie to his feet, still smiling kindly. Frankie nods,

"Y-yes sir."

"Just Sans will do, Kiddo"

"O-okay"

Sans remembers he doesn't have much food to give… _except_ …

"You can uh… Take a seat. I'll be back in a second." Sans gestured to the couch before walking out of the room and into the kitchen. Frankie sits on the couch, still shaking a little. In the kitchen, Sans opens his fridge, to reveal the container labeled 'spaghetti'. With a deep breath, he removes it from the fridge. Papyrus had made it for him a few days ago, showing up at Sans' door without warning. Sans kept the visit short, as much as it hurt to see his brother leave. Sans shook his head, as if to shake the memory away, it was all in the past. He shouldn't be so hurt by it. Sans took the cold spaghetti out of the container, putting it on a plate. Sans put the plate in the microwave for a minute, he glanced over to Frankie, who was still sitting on the couch, a hollow look in his eyes. The microwave snapped Sans' attention back to it. Sans pulled out the warm spaghetti, grabbing a fork out of a nearby drawer. The short skeleton shifted his way back into the living room, holding the plate of spaghetti with two hands.

"It's uh, not much… But here, kiddo" Sans presented the dish of pasta to Frankie, who looked a bit more comfortable. Frankie didn't shift, he stared up at Sans, his wide eyes in disbelief.

"It's alright, kid. You can take it.", Sans said, trying to reassure the skeletal kid. Frankie still looked uncertain, but took the plate out of Sans' hands, setting it on his shaky lap. With a trembling hand, Franklin snatched up the fork and speared himself a few noodles. Frankie's eyes lit up at the first bite, suddenly in a rush to devour the rest of the plate. Sans chuckles, taking a seat next to Frankie on the faded couch.

"Heh. Careful there, buddy." Sans' laugh was low and deep, like the soft rumble of a distant waterfall. Sans caught himself gazing affectionately at the small skeleton sitting next to him. _He's just some kid. You can't get attached._ Sans reminded himself in his head, tearing his gaze away and looking down at his feet.

"You got a place to go, kid?" He asked, not meeting Frankie's eyes. Frankie had just finished off the last of the spaghetti,

"N-no sir- uh… Sans." The kid stammered in response, he was still shaken up. _I could just…_ Sans began in his head, but stopped the thought as soon as it had presented itself.

 _There's an orphanage just down the road. I can take him there, and forget about him._ Sans shot the kid a quiet smile,

"There's a pretty nice place down the road. They'll take in monsters. You'll have a place to sleep and eat, sound good?"

Sans didn't like the idea of dropping this kid off at some orphanage, but hey. It's better than the kid being out on the streets.

Franklin was silent, an obvious look of disappointment in his eyes. After a brief moment of silence, Frankie spoke up in a shaky voice,

"What if they don't like me?" The kid's voice was serious, brimming with emotion like he was about to cry again.

"If they don't like you, you can stay he-" _Damnit Sans._ Frankie's eyes lit up,

"Do you mean it?"

"Ye-"

 _Damnit Sans._ Sans had to cut himself off again, internally cursing at himself. _Don't get attached._ Sans got up, turning around to face Frankie,

"I'll uh, take you to the place. I'm sure they'll love you, kiddo." Sans gave Frankie another reassuring smile, fidgeting a little at the promise he just accidentally made. Sans offered his hand to the little skeleton, who gladly took it. Frankie grabbed his small backpack and slung it around one shoulder, giving Sans a shy smile.

"Heh. Alright. Let's go then." Sans rumbled passively, it had been quite some time since Sans had been outside, perhaps it was time. Sans swung the door open to reveal a thick blanket of new-fallen snow, covering his unkempt yard in a sparkling white sheet. The narrow pathway that lead through the middle of his lawn was faintly outlined. Sans grabbed his coat, a blue jacket with a fur lined hood,off of the nearby coat rack. He lazily let go of Frankie's hand so he could slip it on, and as soon as that was accomplished, their hands were locked once more.

Leading, Sans stepped into the crisp snow, the crunch underneath his slippers was all too familiar. _Memories._ The orphanage wasn't too far of a walk, in fact, it was just around the corner. Sans had passed by it a few times, usually on his rare trips to the grocery store. Frankie stayed quiet for most of the trip, never letting go of the larger skeleton's hand. Sans felt the kid's grip grow tighter at the sight of the orphanage.

Sure, it was dark, the outside of the building was a dark gray color, the panelling on the side of the large house seemed a bit decrepit, but it was warm right? It was a place the kid could stay and be safe. There was a gate out front, and Sans pushed his way through, earning a shriek from the hinges. A sign above the door read 'Miss Kindon's Monster Orphanage'. Sans cringed at the word orphanage, looking down at Frankie to make sure he took no notice of it. He didn't want the kid to think he was being abandoned. _Well._ Sans rolled his eyes at his own internal comments, he was doing himself and Frankie a favor.

"It'll be okay, kid. This place looks great." Sans tried to sound enthusiastic, giving Frankie's small hand a tight squeeze. Frankie looked unsure. Sans rang the doorbell, a deep chiming

sound could be heard from inside. A few long seconds later, a human woman opened the door. She smiled a bitter smile.

"Welcome to Miss Kindon's Monster Orphanage, please, come in." Sans felt Frankie stiffen beside him. Sans gives the woman a curt nod.

"You must be Miss Kindon." Sans held out his free hand to her, she didn't take it. She just gave him a small, pointed smile.

"Yes. I am. Now are you going to stand there and let all of the heat out, or are you going to come in?" Her voice was astringent and laced with what could only be described as frustration. Sans nodded again, stepping inside. The interior of the place wasn't as bad as the exterior, the floor was a dark oak and there was a winding staircase leading up to the next floor.

"Are you adopting or dropping off?" Miss Kindon sneered down at Frankie at the mention of dropping off, Frankie clung closer to Sans.

"Uh, dropping off, I guess."

"Follow me. You have paperwork to do." Miss Kindon sighed, clearly not happy to be caring for another child. Sans sighed as well, paperwork being one of his least favorite things.

"You can go and find yourself a room. Down the hall, right there." Miss Kindon said to Frankie, pointing down the hall, where rows of rooms lined the walls. Frankie reluctantly let go of Sans' hand, Sans winced, seeing the small skeleton make his way down the hall. Frankie turned around, still looking unsure. Sans gave the kid a wink, urging him onward. _It's for the best._ Sans hears Miss Kindon clear her throat behind him,

"If you've quite finished, Mr…. Uh… What was it?"

"Sans."

"Right. Mr. Sans. This way please." Miss Kindon began walking the opposite direction, Sans grudgingly followed. He didn't like her. She led him into an office room, a large dark oak desk stood in the center of the room, atop it lie neat stacks of paper. Miss Kindon sits behind the desk, her slender fingers tapping impatiently as Sans shuffled slowly across the room, to sit in the chair opposite her.

"Now then, Mr. Sans. Is he your child?"

"Nah. Kid's homeless. Found him lyin' on my couch this morning"

"Ah. I see. Does he have a name?"

"Franklin."

Miss Kindon smiles, exposing her off-white teeth. Sans shudders,

"So uh, where are the other kids? Haven't seen any."

"Oh, they're around. Most of them prefer to stay in their rooms, bless their souls" Sans narrowed his eye sockets, she didn't seem very concerned. Nonetheless, Sans answered any questions as best as he could, filling out forms as he went along. It was tedious, but at least Frankie would have a place to stay. Miss Kindon looked bored,

"This." Miss Kindon says, taking a breath, "is the last form, just sign here." Miss Kindon points to a line at the bottom of the page,

"You can go see Franklin again, before signing."

Sans hesitated. He probably shouldn't… _Don't get attached._ The familiar phrase repeated once more in his head.

"Yeah. I'd like that." Sans smiled lightly, fully knowing it was a bad idea. Miss Kindon hands Sans the paper, attached to a clipboard.

"Just bring the form back when you're done.",she says, letting out a long sigh that quickly escalated into a yawn. Sans nods, heading off to find Frankie.

The orphanage is quiet, the only sound being a quiet sob, which Sans quickly identifies as Frankie. Sans locates the door that the crying was emanating from, knocking lightly before entering.

"Uh… Hey, Frankie?" Sans says, cautiously approaching the skeletal child, who lay face down on the small bed in the corner of the room, his face pressed deeply into the pillow. The room itself was sparsely decorated, a few toys lie in a plastic bin in the corner of the room, on the wall hang a single painting of a castle. Sans sighed, shuffling his way across the room to sit on the bed, the mattress squeaking as he did so.

"You're gonna be okay, kiddo. It's uh… Gonna be tough, but I'm rootin' for ya." Sans says softly to the crying monster, "I promise, you'll have a nice time here…" Sans looks down at the clipboard, frowning. With a shaky hand, he clutches the pen, pressing it down to the spot that Miss Kindon had told him to sign. Hesitation.

Sans sets the pen down.

 _Damnit Sans._


	3. Chapter 3: Spaghetti and Sorrows

**New Chapter! :D**

 **I hope you all enjoy it.**

 **My cousin would like to warn you of the pain up ahead...**

 **-mariahills-capsicle**

* * *

Frankie watched Sans carefully. The older skeleton was staring down in frustration at the sheets of paper Miss Kindon had given him. Frankie was going to ask him if he really was going to sign, but there was a little hope in his heart. Sans was hesitating, and Frankie didn't want to stay at this terrible orphanage. He didn't want to ruin the chances that maybe, just maybe, Sans wouldn't leave him here. The moments seemed like hours, but seconds later Sans threw the clipboard aside.

"Forget this." He said, standing quickly. He didn't say anything to Frankie, but he marched out of the little skeleton's room and into the hallway. Frankie followed quickly. Miss Kindon was waiting at the end of the hallway, a terribly fake smile plastered across her face.

"Did you sign the papers?" She said. Her gaze turned towards Frankie, who remained a few steps behind Sans and she frowned, "You should return to your room now. I'll introduce you to everyone else when Mr. Sans has left."

"Miss Kindon, I don't think… I don't think it will be good for Frankie for him to stay here." Sans said. Frankie's heart soared. _He's not leaving me here! He's not leaving me here!_

"Mr. Sans. This is a very respectable establishment, I assure you. We're offering Frankie the chance to live off the streets, away from anyone who could hurt him." Frankie stared as Sans hesitated once more.

"No. Frankie deserves more than just that." Sans gritted his teeth, "All monsters do... I'm not leaving Frankie here to just 'live'." Frankie finally spoke up, his voice quavering, but he never looked away from the human.

"Y-you're no d-different from the other h-humans that I've met on the st-street." Sans turned and looked back at the little skeleton with a sad smile.

"It's alright, kid. Let's go." Frankie couldn't believe it. It had been months since he'd felt this way, months since anyone had treated him with worth, or had looked at him like he actually meant something. Sans held out his hand and Frankie couldn't help himself but to race into the skeleton's arms. He hugged him tightly and Sans was surprised at first but patted his head.

"Hey, where's your backpack, Frankie?" He said. Frankie jumped. He had almost forgotten his backpack. The little torn up bag held his most precious items. He couldn't leave it in this terrible place.

"In my room." He said.

"Alright, go ahead and get it." Frankie raced off down the hallway and into what might have been his bedroom. He grabbed his ratty backpack, but before swinging it onto his shoulder he unzipped the zipper as far as he could (it was broken at about half-way), and pulled out his mother's red scarf.

"I know you've been watching out for me, Mama," he said as he wrapped the scarf around his neck, "But you don't have to worry anymore. I met a nice skeleton today. I think…" Frankie zipped up his backpack and threw it over his shoulder. "I think he's going to take care of me." Frankie returned to the entryway where Sans was waiting. When the older Skeleton saw Frankie, he froze, a little surprised at the red scarf around the boy's neck.

"Do you got all your stuff, kiddo?" Sans asked. Frankie nodded, and Sans held out his hand. Frankie took it eagerly. "Then let's get out of here."

"You're making a terrible mistake." Miss Kindon snarled. "Raising children is not a game. He'd be better off inside these walls!"

Sans turned one last time. Frankie saw he was no longer hesitating, he was holding firm in his decision. There was a calmness about Sans' expression, but there was warning in his eye sockets, and when he spoke, he spoke through his teeth. "Miss Kindon, I'd prefer it if you didn't ask for a bad time. Frankie and I are leaving now." They exited the orphanage, much to Frankie's relief. He didn't say much as they walked, but he remembered Sans' expression when he had come back with the red scarf on and he looked up and asked,

"Sans… why did my scarf surprise you?"

"It just… err.. don't worry about it, kiddo." Sans shrugged. When they reached Sans' house with the blanket covering the window, Frankie thought that they were home, but Sans continued walking.

"Where are we going?" Frankie asked.

"I've… got to figure some things out. I don't have any place for you to sleep, and I don't have any food for you to eat. We're going to a place where you'll be comfortable for a bit while I work some things out. I have some… friends."

"Oh…" Frankie had seen some terrible things in the months when he had been on the street. He knew something was still really bothering Sans. Perhaps he _was_ still hesitating. _What if he's regretting his decision? What if he really doesn't like me?! What if… what if he takes me back?!_ Fear filled Frankie's heart and he gripped Sans' hand tighter.

"Don't worry." Sans said, but Frankie wasn't really sure if he was talking to Frankie or to himself. It seemed as though they walked for hours and Frankie was getting tired. He began dragging behind Sans, though he still held tightly to his hand. He was almost afraid that if he let go Sans would change his mind. In fact, every step Frankie took he questioned whether or not it would make Sans change his mind. For some reason it was terrifying to think that Sans would make him go back to the orphanage, abandoning him like everyone else had on the surface. When Sans saw Frankie had fallen behind a little he turned around with a smile,

"Don't worry, Pap-err…" He laughed nervously, "Franklin… we're almost there." Franklin didn't bother saying he wasn't worried. He was too tired to answer. Besides, it wasn't even true. Frankie had innumerable reasons to be worried. The number one thing was that Sans would abandon him.

It was probably about noon by the time Sans stopped walking and stood in front of a rather plain, yellow-ish house. The porch was neat and tidy, and a little chalkboard sign hung on the railing. Written in all caps were the words: TUESDAY: SPAGHETTI DINNER

"Oh boy." Sans sighed. Frankie looked up quickly with a nervous smile,

"I love spaghetti." He said.

"Well, then you'll fit right into this family." Sans said, "Follow me." He led Frankie up the snowy walkway and up the steps to the porch where he hesitated and then knocked on the door. Someone called from inside "I'll get it!" and Frankie felt Sans stiffen. The door swung open and Frankie ducked behind Sans, a little bit shy, he held onto the skeleton's hand tightly. In the doorway stood another skeleton, much taller than Sans. He was wearing a red scarf, just like

Frankie, and some sort of silly costume. When he saw Sans his jaw dropped and the he put on a huge grin.

"BROTHER!" He threw his arms around the shorter skeleton and hugged him tightly. "OH SANS! I THOUGHT YOU'D FORGOTTEN ALL ABOUT SPAGHETTI DINNER NIGHT! I'M SO GLAD YOU'RE HERE!"

"It's… uh… good to see you too, Papyrus."

"I'VE MISSED YOU SO MUCH, SANS!" Frankie looked up to see Sans frown, but he replied.

"I've missed you too." It was another long moment before Papyrus, as Sans had called him, let Sans go.

"COME INSIDE. I'M JUST MAKING THE SPAGHETTI, TORIEL AND FRISK ARE IN- WHO'S THIS?" Papyrus had at last noticed Frankie, who was still cowering halfway behind Sans.

"Oh. Papyrus, this is Franklin. Frankie, this is… umm… my brother, Papyrus."

"IT'S CERTAINLY NICE TO MEET YOU, FRANKLIN! WHY DON'T YOU BOTH COME INSIDE?"

Papyrus led the way into his little house. It was very neat inside, and it was warmer than Sans' house.

"ER… I'M GOING BACK TO THE KITCHEN. PERHAPS YOU'D LIKE TO SIT IN THE LIVING ROOM WITH TORIEL AND FRISK?"

"Sure. Thanks, buddy." Sans said. Frankie nodded slowly, and then yawned. "Looks like you need some more rest before the spaghetti dinner, kiddo." Sans said. "Let's go meet Toriel and Frisk and then you should probably take a nap." Frankie wasn't going to argue. He had been on the streets for the past five months, and the whole time he'd been exhausted, always. The little sleep he'd gotten on Sans' couch the night before had helped, but Frankie felt like he could sleep for months.

Papyrus' living room was simple, with a soft brown sofa and an old gray recliner. The carpet was a terrible orange-ish color, but Papyrus had covered it with a light brown rug, patterned with vines and red flowers. By the opposite wall was a terrible wooden entertainment center that was likely picked up at some sort of human thrift store. It was covered in half-torn-off children's stickers. The TV that sat on it was nothing like the TVs that Frankie sometimes saw in store windows. It was a box, really- very old, but Frankie had a feeling that Papyrus didn't really mind. On the walls were two pictures. One was a large one above the couch of Sans and Papyrus, arm-in-arm. The other was above the entertainment set. It was a fairly larger image of a plate of spaghetti.

Sitting in the living room, on the large brown couch, were two people. One was a monster, a woman who resembled a goat. But she was the most beautiful person Frankie had ever encountered. Her smile and her amber eyes exuded absolute kindness, and just being in her presence made Frankie feel safe. The second person was a human, which almost startled Frankie, but this human was the most quiet human Frankie had ever met. When this human looked at him, their eyes weren't full of hate or arrogance. There was something else there, something that Frankie hadn't seen in human eyes in a long time. _Happiness._ This strange little human was genuinely happy to see him, and it really frightened him.

"Toriel, Frisk." Sans said. "Err… It's... umm… nice to see you both."

"Sans! It's wonderful to see you! We've all been so worried." Sans laughed nervously and looked down at the human who was frantically moving their hands and fingers into odd shapes. Frankie didn't understand what they were trying to say.

"Nice to see you too, Frisk." Sans grinned, but Frankie saw worry on the older skeleton's face. Frisk seemed to see it too, but they didn't say anything about it. They signed something again. Sans nearly jumped, "Oh right! Toriel, Frisk, this is Franklin. Frankie, this is Frisk," he gestured towards the human, "And Toriel."

"It's wonderful to meet you, Franklin." Toriel said calmly. Frisk nodded in agreement. It seemed they had realized Frankie couldn't understand sign language.

"It's nice to meet you too."

"SANS! SANS!" Papyrus came rushing back into the room. "SANS! I ALMOST FORGOT! LOOK WHAT UNDYNE GOT ME FOR CHRISTMAS!" Papyrus held out a large fleece blanket. The design on it was spaghetti and meatballs. Frankie was beginning to detect a theme.

"That's great, Paps." Sans said. He looked almost guilty, though Frankie couldn't guess why.

"Why don't you sit down in here for a bit, Frankie, I'll just be in the kitchen with Papyrus." Sans said. Frankie wanted to protest, he was still scared about these new surroundings and all these new people. But, by the same token, he didn't want Sans to feel burdened by him, or frustrated with him. So he kept his mouth shut and nodded his head, and sat down in the recliner.

"So, Franklin," Toriel said in her soft voice, "Where did you and Sans meet?" Frankie looked up and shook his head slowly, tightening his red scarf nervously.

"I… umm… I fell asleep on his couch." He murmured. Toriel frowned, a little confused by his statement, but Frankie was too tired to explain. Frisk looked up at Toriel and signed something. Toriel nodded,

"Dear one, you look very tired." Toriel smiled. "You don't have to be afraid. Why don't you just rest for a while?" Frankie, once again, wanted to argue. He wanted to say 'I'm not that tired.' But he was. He was very tired. And he couldn't prevent himself from leaning back in the recliner and falling off into gentle sleep.

* * *

As Sans walked into the kitchen, every instinct he had told him to get out of there as fast as he could. But, there he stood. Facing his brother once more.

"SANS…" Papyrus began, noticing Sans' reluctant behavior. Sans flashed Papyrus the biggest smile he could stretch on his face, trying to make it seem like he was happy. Papyrus obviously didn't take the bait. "SANS. IF THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG, I DEMAND THAT YOU TELL ME." Papyrus announces boldly, placing a gloved hand on Sans' shoulder. Sans flinched back, avoiding Papyrus's touch.

"There's nothin' wrong, Paps. I'm fine." Sans says with a fake chuckle. Papyrus sighs and turns back to the large pot on the stove, stirring it rapidly.

"SANS. I REALLY WISH YOU WOULD SPEAK YOUR FEELINGS. IT MIGHT HELP YOU." Sans wanted nothing more than to do that. He wanted nothing more than to tell Papyrus everything. The resets. The reason why he never spoke to him. But Sans just shrugged,

"There's nothing to be said, Paps. But I uh… Need your help…" As soon as Sans said this, Papyrus's eyes lit up and he spun around to face the shorter skeleton.

"I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, WILL HELP YOU IN ANY WAY I CAN!" Papyrus embraced Sans in another hug, squeezing him tightly.

"It's uh… Frankie. I kinda… Made a promise… A promise that I'm gonna regret. And… " Sans trailed off. _What ever happened to 'don't get attached'?_ Sans let out a deep sigh. Papyrus released Sans from his grasp, looking into his eyes. Sans looks away.

"BROTHER. IT IS OF UTMOST IMPORTANCE THAT YOU TELL ME WHAT IS WRONG." Papyrus's voice was quiet. Well. As quiet as Sans had ever heard it.

"I… I told the kid I'd take care of him…" Sans laughed in disbelief at the sentence he just said, then he sighs, putting a hand on his face.

"Papyrus… I don't know what I'm doing… It was a mistake. But I can't take it back." Sans' smile drops off of his face to be replaced with a frown. _Maybe if I wasn't such an idiot, this wouldn't have happened. I'm such a goddamn idiot._

"BROTHER… ", Papyrus begins, but he finds it difficult to find the words for once. _If I wasn't such an idiot, I wouldn't be HERE. Growing attached…_ Sans' expression dropped again, but this time it was blank. He stared ahead, past Papyrus, at the wall.

 _It's all gonna be reset. They won't remember anything. Just give up. Don't get attached. Tomorrow could be the day, and then everyone will be underground again. And then i'll be in Snowdin forest, waiting for Frisk… Repeating the same lines just like I always do._

The thoughts surge through Sans' head like fire. And, like fire, they burned. _I shouldn't be here._

"SANS…" Papyrus reaches out to put his hand on Sans' shoulder once more, as soon as his hand makes contact with Sans, the shorter skeleton snaps out of his funk, the blank look being replaced by… Anger?

"SANS. I KNOW IT IS TOUGH. BUT I BELIEVE IN YOU! YOU CAN DO ANYTHING YOU SET YOUR MIND TO!" The shorter skeleton doesn't reply, his fists are clenched at his sides. Papyrus lets out a long sigh,

"I TRULY WISH THAT YOU WOULD VISIT MORE OFTEN, ME AND FRISK ARE GOING TO BUILD A SNOW PAPYRUS LATER! WOULD YOU LIKE TO JOIN? IT MIGHT MAKE YOU HAPPY!" Papyrus says with a broad smile.

" _I DON'T WANT TO BE HAPPY!"_ Sans raised his voice, clearly not meaning to. The taller skeleton retracted his hand, he'd never heard Sans yell before…

"Sans… W-what do you mean? Why don't you want to be happy?" Now _this_ was as quiet as Sans had ever heard Papyrus talk, it came out in a soft whisper.

"You'll never understand. None of you will _ever_ understand." Sans' voice was angry, but laced with a tinge of sadness. Sans stormed out of the kitchen, now unable to even look at his brother. On the recliner, Frankie had fallen asleep. Toriel sat on the couch, clearly having heard the argument in the kitchen.

"Sans dear, I do not know why you don't want to be happy…" Toriel said, her voice was sweet and calming. Sans noticed the distinct lack of Frisk in the room, in an effort to change the subject, Sans put on a fake smile again.

"Where's Frisk?" Sans said, fully knowing that Toriel could see through his grin. Toriel sighs,

"I sent them outside so they could play in the snow." Toriel had a look of concern on her face, but if Sans wasn't going to tell her what was wrong, she wasn't going to continue asking. Suddenly, the doorbell rings. Sans rushes to the door, escaping Toriel's concern. As soon as he opens it, he's greeted with Undyne and Alphys.

"HEY! Punk! It's been a while!" Undyne laughs loudly, clearly surprised with Sans' presence.

"G-great to see you're alright, Sans!" Alphys adds, stammering a little. Sans just nods and steps to the side to allow them in. Undyne smiles, exposing her sharp, yellow teeth. She grabs Alphys' hand and runs inside,

"FUHUHUH! Is dinner almost ready? I am SO HUNGRY!" Undyne nearly shouts with her usual intensity. Frankie stirs a bit on the recliner.

"Undyne, could ya… uh… tone it down a bit?" Sans gestures to Frankie, immediately, Undyne's eyes go wide. She doesn't exactly whisper, but she makes a commendable effort,

"WOAH. There's a kid… oh my god. Sans. Are you the father?!" Undyne's eyes flash yellow, a glint of excitement in them. She looks down at Alphys, who shares the same expression.

"N-no. He's just some kid, he was asleep on my couch this morning. Thought I'd…" Sans hesitates, "Take care of him…" Although Undyne and Alphys seem disappointed, they both let out a loud ' _awwwww'_. Sans shakes his head, chuckling.

"Where's Papyrus?! I-" Undyne cuts herself off, realizing she was being loud.

Sans cringes. _Papyrus…_ he hadn't apologized for yelling. Sans looks guiltily towards the kitchen, a tinge of sadness in his expression. Sans had to apologize.

"I uh… actually need to talk to him…" Sans looks down at his feet, "I'll be right back…"

Undyne doesn't say anything, picking up on the fact that something's wrong. She just nods and leads Alphys over to the couch, sitting next to Toriel. They begin to drum up a friendly conversation as Sans carefully makes his way back to the kitchen.

Once inside, Sans flinches. Papyrus stood at the stove, mindlessly stirring the pasta. The tall skeleton didn't even glance at Sans. Sans could tell he'd been crying.

"Papyrus… I'm… I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to snap at you…" the short skeleton said genuinely. At this, Papyrus glanced over at Sans, but stayed silent.

"Can you forgive me?" Sans dared not meet his brother's gaze, he kept his eyes firmly glued to his faded slippers. The next moment, Sans is wrapped in his brother's arms.

"OF COURSE I FORGIVE YOU, SANS! I AM, OF COURSE, THE GREATEST BROTHER EVER!" Papyrus seems to have completely forgotten Sans' yelling from earlier, a wide smile spread across his face. Sans tried to return the smile as best as he could. Papyrus released Sans, turning back to the spaghetti on the stove.

Sans sighed a silent breath of relief. The taller skeleton was humming happily,aggressively stirring the pasta. Sans still felt bad, of course, but he was glad that Papyrus was okay.

"HEY PUNK!" Undyne burst into the kitchen, making Sans jump a little.

"PAPYRUS! You're doing it wrong!" Undyne rushes over to the stove where Papyrus was, Sans could hear Toriel and Alphys collectively gasp in fear. A glowing blue spear has materialized over the boiling pot of spaghetti,

"UNDYNE! DO YOU REMEMBER WHAT HAPPENED LAST TIME?!" Papyrus said, fear in his eyes. Sans looks over to Undyne, she seems to be thinking about something. Her yellow eyes trail up to the ceiling, Sans follows them, now noticing the distinct burn marks. The spear disappears.

"Fuhuhuh! I forgot!" Undyne laughs, wrapping Papyrus in a headlock. Papyrus struggles to escape her grasp,

"DON'T NOOGIE THE SKELETON OR…" Papyrus pleads, Undynes smile stretched wider.

"Or _what_?" Undyne's eyes lit up.

"OR I WILL BE FORCED TO STOP YOU! NYEH HEH HEH!" Papyrus announces proudly, suddenly pulling out of the headlock. As the two wrestle, Sans walks out of the kitchen. Frankie was just waking up, rubbing his eyes with his small hands. For a second, he looked around in fear, but he seemed to remember where he was and relaxed.

"Mornin' kiddo." Sans says, his eyes fixed on the small skeleton. Frisk had just gotten back inside, shaking the snow off their boots. They eagerly waved at Frankie, a sweet smile across their face. Frankie seemed wary of the human, but smiled back.

"Franklin, why don't you go play with Frisk? I'd like to have a word with Sans." Toriel said, as sweetly as ever. Frankie looked at Sans, as if to ask permission. Sans gives him a nod,

"Go ahead, kid. I'll be out here with Tori if you need me." Franklin nodded, and looked over to where Frisk was standing, still brushing snow off of them. He cautiously got out of the recliner and made his way over to them. Once he was within a foot of them, he was suddenly wrapped in a warm hug. Franklin let out a little squeak of surprise, but gingerly returned the hug. Frisk led Frankie into the next room, a huge smile on their face.

"Sans." Sans' attention was snapped back to Toriel, who still sat patiently on the couch.

"Raising children is not an easy task. If you wish, you can leave him here. With us, if you want." Sans was taken aback,

"I never-" he stopped himself. Maybe he _had_ thought about that. _Why do I feel like… I owe the kid something?_

"That won't be necessary, Tori. When I make promises, I keep 'em. You of all people should know that." Sans' voice was calm and didn't waver at all, _why am I so sure suddenly?_ Toriel nodded, smiling,

"Yes. I do know that. And I still cannot thank you eno-" the doorbell rings. With a shout from Papyrus, the taller skeleton sprints to the door. Toriel narrows her eyes,

"Papyrus, you did not say that anyone else was coming…" Papyrus looked over at Toriel with a proud smile,

"IT WOULD BE RUDE TO NOT INVITE _ALL_ OF MY FRIENDS!" And with that, Papyrus opened the door to reveal Asgore. In his hands, he held a bouquet of golden flowers. As soon as Asgore and Toriel made eye contact, the tension in the air was so thick, you could cut it with a knife.

"Tori…" Asgore began, but Toriel cut him off.

"Asgore."

Sans contemplated slowly backing out of the room. Asgore stepped inside, his horns scraping the top of the doorway. It's silent. Suddenly Asgore holds out the flowers he was clutching and offers them to Toriel. Sans could hear Alphys and Undyne aggressively whispering to one another,

" _I ship it so hard!"_

" _Yesssss"_

Toriel blushes, and accepts the flowers, earning a loud cheer from Undyne. Papyrus seems to remember something as he pushes his way into the kitchen. Asgore clears his throat, looking at Sans,

"It has been awhile, Sans. Nice to see you."

Sans nods, just as Papyrus bursts in,

"DINNER IS READY!"

The smell of burnt pasta hangs in the air. Everyone seems in a hurry to exit the room, as they move into the dining room. Frisk and Frankie burst in the room as well, Sans hadn't really seen Frankie smile before, but the kid had a wide grin plastered on his face. _At least someone's having a good time…_ Sans was the last in the room, everyone else had selected a seat at the long table. Sans was surprised to find a plate already made for him, Toriel clarifies,

"We always have a plate set out for you, in case you decide to come…" Toriel offers him a smile. Sans does his best to return the smile, but it looks forced. The spaghetti is a bit overcooked, but not too bad. Sans takes a bite and glances over at Frankie, who is almost done with his plate already. Papyrus's eyes are gleaming,

"WOWIE! YOU SURE SEEM TO ENJOY MY COOKING, FRANKLIN!" Papyrus says to the smaller skeleton, who was sitting directly across the table from him. Frankie doesn't reply, due to the fact that his mouth is full of pasta, he simply nods enthusiastically. The little skeleton is obviously in a hurry for seconds. Sans hadn't realized he was staring at the kid until Frankie met his gaze. Sans looked away, resuming the eating of his spaghetti.

The dinner table was quiet, the only sound being the occasional scrape of forks on the plates. Finally, Asgore broke the silence as he cleared his throat,

"It has been lovely weather. Has it not? I think the snow is quite beautiful. It reminds me of Snowdin!"

Sans visibly cringed at the mention of his old home. _I'll be back there soon enough anyways…_ The rest of the table murmured in agreement with the king, clearly not noticing Sans' wincing. At least more conversation was happening now, Papyrus spoke next,

"OH YES! I LOVE THE SNOW! NYEH HEH HEH!" Papyrus looks at Sans with a wide grin on his face, "REMEMBER WHEN WE USED TO MAKE SNOW PAPYRUSES?"

Something twisted in Sans' non-existent stomach. _Used to… If only that were true…_ Sans puts on a smile, the facade clearly fooling Papyrus,

"Yeah. Maybe next time uh- i mean… some time… we could build a _snowsans_." Sans chuckled weakly at his pun, across the table, Toriel howls with laughter. It had been quite some time since he'd heard her laugh, and Sans couldn't help laughing along. It felt… wrong… to genuinely laugh. Papyrus shoots Sans a glare, but he's smiling. and he hates it.

Frisk signed something to Frankie, their small hands moving quickly. Sans follows along, stifling a chuckle before translating,

"They said: 'Why couldn't the skeleton cross the road?'" Sans briefly pauses, like he does before all good jokes, allowing Franklin some time to think about it, before continuing.

"'Cause he didn't have the _guts_ '" Sans chuckles, giving Frisk a high-five. Frankie processes this for a second before laughing, and soon, the entire table joined in. Well, besides Papyrus, who is doing his best not to.

 _Wow, Sans. Look at all this happiness that's gonna be torn away from everyone. Look at all this happiness that can never be remembered._ Sans tries to shake away the thoughts, but can't. Sans looks down at his, now empty, plate. With a shove, Sans pushes himself out of his chair,

"I uh… need some fresh air…" Sans lies, his head still spinning with the jeering thoughts. All eyes are on him as he shuffles out of the dining room. With a shaky hand, he pulls open the door, stepping outside into the crisp air. He sighs. _What am I even doing here? I shouldn't be here…_ Sans takes a seat on the edge of the porch, burying his face in his skeletal hands.

Not a second later, Sans hears the door opening behind him. He stiffens, _Great. it's probably Toriel… Now I'm gonna get lectured again…_ Sans looks up from his hands, but to his surprise, Frankie is standing there, closing the door behind him. Sans looks back down. The small skeleton makes his way over to Sans, taking a seat next to him on the porch.

"Heya, kiddo…",Sans says, still not meeting the smaller skeleton's gaze. Sans couldn't see the kid's face, but he knew that Frankie's eyes were transfixed on him. Frankie doesn't say anything for awhile, the silence is almost painful. Finally, he speaks up,

"Heya… Sans…" The skeletal child's voice was quiet, like a whisper. Sans finally brings himself to look at him, there were tears in the kid's eye sockets. Sans puts a hand on Frankie's shoulder,

"It's gonna be okay, kiddo… Everything's gonna be okay…" Sans tries to reassure him, but his own thoughts are eating away in his mind. _Okay? When has anything EVER been okay? Everyone's gonna forget this. All the good you do in the world… on the surface. It's all pointless. Stop trying. Just give up._

"You don't seem 'okay'... did I do something wrong?" A few tears fall from Frankie's eye sockets and onto his cheekbones. Sans shakes his head,

"No way, kid. This has nothin' to do with you… heh…" Sans' mind is screaming at this point, he was going against everything he had tried to avoid. _Why are you even HERE? You should've stayed in the Underground. You could've avoided all of this altogether and waited for the reset back at home._ The kid didn't look too sure, but he gave Sans a small smile,

"So you're not going to leave me? So I can still stay with you?" Frankie looked at Sans with hopeful eyes. _You could ditch him, y'know? So what if it breaks his heart, he won't remember. So what if yo-_

"I'm not gonna leave you, kid. Never even thought about it. Not for one second." Sans was surprised at the courage in his voice, he held out a hand towards Frankie,

"Deal?" A second later, Sans was wrapped in an embrace. Frankie's head resting on the larger skeleton's shoulder, Sans smiled a little. Not a fake smile this time. Sans was taken aback and then shrugged, embracing the child back.

"Deal."

* * *

 **REVIEWS FOR CHAPTER ONE AND TWO:**

 **Okay, I'm gonna catch up on reviews here. I want to reply to reviews every chapter for the chapter before! Reviews are awesome because they really encourage us to keep writing, so thank you all SO MUCH for Reviewing! We really, really appreciate it! :)**

 **Guest:** This is amazing! Please make sure to update as soon as possible. Thanks.

 _Thank you so much! We're going to try and update every three days! We're so glad you are enjoying it!_

 **Kiryma:** O.e well Donald Trump is one of the douchbag humans for sure. Anyways please continue. I assume Franklin is a guy?

 _Ha! Definitely true! Yup, Frankie's a boy. We're glad you're enjoying it._

 **Guest:** This is amazing! Please update soon! :3

 _Thanks! We're gonna try and update every three days._

 **Guest:** Awesome! Update soon!

 _So glad you like it! :D_

 **AlldathingsIlike:** You have put every reason as to why I hate my own species.

I'm trying not to cry tears of rage rn omg ;-;

 _I hate to say this, but it's only going to get worse... :(_

 _Fear not! All shall be well! Err... later._

 **Sceera1:** Damnit Sans!

 _Yup. Unfortunately he's only going to continue hating himself for the decision... at least... for a little while longer._

 **THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR REVIEWING! STAY TUNED FOR CHAPTER FOUR!**


	4. Chapter 4: Sweet Dreams

**Welcome to Chapter Four everyone! You're slowly catching up to our writing, so I guess we're going to have to pick up speed. :)**

 **Thanks to everyone who's read this, and especially to those who review! We really appreciate all of you!**

 **-mariahills-capsicle**

The next step of Spaghetti Dinner Night was apparently a movie. The last movie Frankie had watched had been some sort of old human cartoon about lions. It had been a pretty fun movie, but what Frankie really remembered was where he had watched it. It had only been a month before his parents were… well, anyways. He could remember sitting on the couch, his parents on either side of him. It had been in the last apartment they had stayed in. It was a pretty old one, and it hadn't been very well insulated, so they wrapped blankets around one another to keep each other warm. The ancient TV was somehow able to manage to play the movie all the way through, and afterwards they all fell asleep on the couch. It should have been his favorite memory, but it only made Frankie upset thinking about it. The idea of watching another movie right now felt like betraying some sort of secret trust between him and his parents.

Frisk had met Sans and Frankie in the hall and was signing frantically with a huge smile on their face.

"They want to know if you'll come sit with them." Sans said. "They say Toriel made some popcorn and they're all ready to start the movie." Frankie loved Frisk already. The child was the kindest human the little skeleton had ever met, and they were the only one Frankie had met who had treated him like a complete equal. But Frankie didn't want to see a movie now. He had been around these people nearly all day, and now he just needed to escape. He needed to go somewhere quiet. When he'd been around too many people all day Frankie had always returned to his alleyway. Now, he assumed, a safe and quiet place to go, would be Sans' house.

"I'm sorry," He said to Frisk. "I'd like to but I'm really tired." Frisk nodded understandingly, and then they signed something else.

"They want to know if you can come again soon." Sans said. Frankie nodded quickly, and then Frisk pulled him into a warm hug.

"Alright, kiddo." Sans said, "Are you ready to go?" Before Franklin could answer a scream came from the living room.

"GO?! SANS! YOU WEREN'T PLANNING ON LEAVING WITHOUT SAYING GOODBYE, WERE YOU!?" Papyrus came rushing around the corner, straightening his red scarf.

"Errr… Paps." Sans chuckled.

"SANS! HOW COULD YOU LEAVE BEFORE THE MOVIE?!" Papyrus looked distressed.

"Frankie's pretty tired, bro. We're going to go home and get him settled in."

"Oh." Papyrus looked defeated, but then looked up, grinning again, "AT LEAST TAKE SOME OF MY SUPERB SPAGHETTI WITH YOU! I CAN'T IMAGINE WHAT YOU'D DO WITHOUT _MY_ COOKING!" Papyrus handed Sans a huge container of spaghetti. "AND DON'T FORGET! WHEN YOU RUN OUT, COME SEE ME!"

"Sure." Sans murmured, but Frankie noticed that he couldn't bring himself to look directly at his brother. "Well, kiddo." Sans said, "We best get going." Before Sans could move another inch Papyrus pulled him into a tight hug.

"IT WAS SO GOOD TO SEE YOU, SANS!" He cried again. Sans gave Papyrus a small smile and took Frankie's hand. With his other arm he held the large container of spaghetti.

"SEE YOU LATER, FRANKIE!" Papyrus cried.

"Bye, Papyrus." Frankie said, waving with his free hand. Frisk waved as well, and Frankie called one last goodbye before he and Sans exited the house. They walked home again, Frankie not daring to let go of Sans' hand. When they finally got back home it was getting pretty late and Frankie was falling asleep on his feet.

"Alright, let me put this in the fridge." Sans said after they entered the house. It was rather chilly, and some snow had blown in through the broken window, despite the blanket that was hung up to block the elements. Sans would need a new window soon. When Sans returned to the living room from the kitchen he gave Frankie a little smile. "Don't worry." He said. "I have a bunch of blankets. I'll figure out a way to get things fixed up." Sans led Frankie down the little hall to a small guest room. It was painted light blue, and it was sparsely decorated. There was a little bed with a large quilt on the far side of the room. A small dresser next to the door, and a little bedside table with a red-shaded lamp and a battery powered alarm clock. "Uh… it's not much, but… It's yours now." Sans said. Frankie looked up at Sans in awe. His own room? He would have been satisfied sleeping on the couch, but Sans had a room just for him? He hugged the older skeleton tightly.

"Thank you!" He whispered.

"Heh, you're welcome, kiddo." Sans said. "I'll get you a couple more blankets." While Sans hurried into the hall to get some more blankets, Frankie set his torn up backpack on top of his dresser and slowly pulled out the few items he had in it. First, he pulled out a picture frame. In it was a picture of his mom and dad. He set it carefully on his bedside table. Then he pulled out a rubik's cube. He had found it in the trash. Some of the colored stickers were missing, leaving just black, but it still worked. He had solved it more times than he could count after his parents died. He set this on top of his dresser. Then he pulled out a red, torn hoodie and folded it, slipping it into the top drawer of his dresser. Lastly he pulled out his dad's hat. The only thing left of his father. He set this in the drawer on top of the hoodie. His dirty, old backpack was empty now, but he set it carefully down on the floor beside his bedside table. Sans returned with a couple more quilts.

"Here you are." He said. "I'm gonna have to find some way to fix that window, I guess."

"Sans?" Frankie whispered.

"Yeah, kiddo?"

"Asgore, at Papyrus' house, he's the king, right?"

"Yup." Sans nodded.

"Oh. I bet if you asked him, he could get your window fixed." Frankie suggested. Sans looked like he was struggling to find the right answer.

"I..uh… guess so." He replied. "I'll call him then, tomorrow. For now… we both need some rest."

"Okay." Frankie nodded. He climbed into bed, pulling the quilt over top of himself. Before Sans could leave he said, "Sans?"

"Yup?" Sans said.

"I like your friends." He murmured.

There was a pause, "...I do too, kiddo." There was tinge of sadness in Sans' voice, Frankie was too tired to wonder why. He lay down, pulling the blankets up to his chin. "Goodnight, Frankie." Sans said, switching off the overhead light.

"Goodnight." Frankie replied.

* * *

 _Frankie found himself standing in the hallway that led to his old apartment. A feeling of Deja vu filled him as he approached their old apartment. Their door, door number 7, was ajar. Fear made him tremble as he reached for the handle and slowly entered their apartment._

" _Mom?" He whispered. The word echoed into the darkness. Frankie reached slowly for where he knew the lights were. "Dad?" The lights flickered for a moment, and then came on. Frankie found himself reliving a nightmare. The house had been ransacked. Books had been torn up, the TV had been smashed. Across the wall by the window was written in black spray paint: MONSTER SCUM. The furniture was all toppled over as if there had been a terrible struggle. And there…. there, scattered across the floor, was just dust. Boot prints ran here and there. Frankie's breath came in gasps, he was beginning to hyperventilate, tears spilled over his cheekbones. He fell to his knees, and pulled his mother's scarf up from the dust. His tears turned into sobs, and then to screams._

Frankie shot out of his dream with a scream, "MOM! DAD!" There was a thump and a bang from somewhere else in the pitch black house. Then the door slammed open and the light flickered on, and Sans stood there,

"Frankie!?" One of his eyes was flashing blue and yellow, and there was more fear than anger in his expression.

"I'm sorry!" Frankie sobbed. "I'm sorry! I… I didn't mean to wake you. It was just… a nightmare." Sans blinked and the blue in his eye vanished.

"Hey," he said, coming across the room and sitting on Frankie's bed. "It's okay, kiddo… Everyone has those." Sans gave Frankie a loose hug. After Frankie wiped away his tears he looked up,

"Even you?"

"Heh…" Sans chuckled, "Even me." There was a long pause, while Frankie wiped away more tears, and then Sans said, "You think you're going to be okay?" Frankie nodded.

"Alright. Umm…"

"I'm fine." Frankie lied. He was still trembling, but he managed to stop his tears. "You can go back to bed. I'm sorry for waking you."

"You don't need to apologize, kiddo." Sans replied. "I'll see you in the morning."

"Alright." Frankie watched Sans leave, but just before the skeleton flipped the lightswitch, he cried, "Sans?"

"Yup?" Sans turned quickly.

"Can you leave the light on?" Sans hesitated, but nodded.

"'course." He said. Sans slowly shut the door, but after the older skeleton left, Frankie couldn't sleep. Too afraid of the horrors that followed him, he leaned against his pillow and watched the snow falling outside until morning.

* * *

"Hey, kiddo. How'd you sleep?" Sans asked when Frankie finally exited his room.

"Fine." Frankie lied.

"Well, I guess you're probably hungry. The only thing I really have is the spaghetti Papyrus gave us last night…"

"Spaghetti!?" Frankie gasped. "Can I have that for breakfast?" Sans chuckled.

"Sure." Sans led Frankie into the kitchen and helped him reheat some spaghetti. "You know." He said, "Papyrus and Undyne both love cooking spaghetti. Maybe sometime you can ask them to show you how it's done."

"Really?" Frankie gasped. "Do you mean it?"

"Why not? They both love cooking. I'm sure they'd love to show you."

Frankie was only halfway through his breakfast when there was a knock at the door. He looked up at Sans questioningly, and the older skeleton looked shocked. After only a moment there was realization and sadness? He stood, "I'll get it." Only a few moments later Frisk and Toriel entered the kitchen to greet Frankie.

"Hello, dear one." Toriel smiled. Frisk waved with a huge grin.

"Hi, Toriel! Hi, Frisk!" Frankie said. "What are you doing here?"

"Toriel was taking Frisk shopping for some new clothes today, kiddo." Sans said, "She was wondering if you'd like to come with to get some new clothes of your own."

"I couldn't help but notice how old your clothes are, and it seems you only have one set. Perhaps we can find some suiting outfits for you, Franklin." Toriel said.

"Really?" Frankie gasped. "You mean it?"

"Of course."

"And maybe after we're done at the store we can go out for icecream." Toriel suggested. Franklin's head was spinning. _Icecream?!_ He couldn't believe it. The idea that someone could just treat him kindly like that, even though they barely knew him, was unbelievable. It had been so long since anyone had looked at him with such kindness- since anyone had looked at him as a friend. And Toriel was treating him like family!

"I'd _love_ to!" He cried.

"I thought you might." Sans said. Then Frankie had a thought.

"Will you come, Sans?"

"Oh… uh…" Sans looked down at Frisk who was nodding their approval of the question, and signing something. Sans sighed, "I'd like to." He said, "But I can't." Something in his voice made Frankie think that perhaps Sans really didn't want to go at all. Frankie instantly felt as though he had done something wrong again. _He wants to get away from me. I woke him up in the middle of the night and he's mad._ Frisk and Toriel both seemed to notice something strange too. Frisk signed something quickly.

"Yes, why not?" Toriel asked.

"Well… I've got to call Asgore about that window. It was freezing in here last night. I'm pretty sure it gave both of us nightmares." He chuckled, but there was something in his eyes that told Frankie Sans wasn't joking. _He had nightmares last night too?_

"Well, It would be fun, but that's alright." Toriel said. "I promise to have Frankie home by dinner." Frisk signed something quickly.

"They wants to know if you're ready to go." Sans said.

"Yeah!" Frankie cried. "Just let me get my boots." Frankie scrambled from his chair, and grabbed his old rubber boots that he'd left in the hallway when they'd come into the house the night before. He pulled on his boots and was ready to go just as Toriel, Frisk, and Sans joined him.

"Are you sure you don't want to come?" Frankie asked Sans.

"I'll be okay, Frankie. You'll have fun with Tori and Frisk." Sans replied. Frankie gave Sans a tight hug, as if he were afraid he'd come back and his new caretaker would be gone. "Heh… have fun, kiddo. Thanks for this, Toriel."

Toriel led Frankie and Frisk out into the fresh snow. "Luckily," she said, "They've already plowed most of the main streets." Toriel had a little cranberry-red car. It was a pretty old car, but it had been cleaned and it shone as though it were brand new. Toriel obviously took pride in owning it.

"Alright, dear ones, we're going to the thrift shop first." Frankie knew thrift shops were an excellent place to find lightly used clothes that other people didn't want anymore, and he also knew that anything was better than what he was wearing now. His clothes were terrible, torn, and covered in dust and dirt. His boots had holes in them, and the t-shirt he wore under his more-durable sweatshirt was probably almost non-existent due to all the wear and tear it had experienced. He was extremely grateful to Toriel for taking him out. By the time they reached the thrift shop, Frisk had taught Frankie half of the sign language alphabet.

'F-R-A-N-K-I-E.' Frankie spelled out slowly and meticulously. Frisk nodded with a big grin.

"Alright, you two. We're here!" Toriel said from the front of the car. They had parked just in front of the thrift store, and both of the children scrambled out eagerly. Frisk signed something, looking at Frankie gleefully.

"Can you do it slower?" Frankie asked.

'C-A-N-D- _what_?'

"Candy?" Frankie guessed. Frisk nodded. So, the last letter they had signed was a Y. Frisk signed something over at Toriel- a much more complex sentence. Toriel laughed softly.

"Well, I suppose you can get some Candy." She handed Frisk two quarters. "How about you go get your little treats, and then I'll look for some pants for you two and you look for some nice shirts."

"Okay!" Frankie said. He followed Frisk happily over to a little candy dispenser. They each got a handful of little candies shaped like fruit.

'G-O-O-D.' Frisk signed. Then they placed their hand on their lips and brought it down to their other hand. 'G-O-O-D.' They signed again.

"Good?" Frankie did the same gesture and Frisk nodded. "Cool! I learned a word in sign language."

'M-O-M. S-H-I-R-T-S.' It took Frankie a while longer to figure out what Frisk was trying to say.

"Oh, right." Frankie nodded, "We have to go look for shirts. Where are the shirts, do you know?" Frisk beckoned for Frankie to follow them. They were in the little shop for a long time, but the trip was a success. Toriel bought Frisk a new outfit, and she bought Frankie three new outfits- a pair of pajamas, and two outfits for everyday.

"Don't worry, dear," she said, "I'm sure we can get you some more clothes later."

"Thank you so much!" Frankie gasped. He wasn't quite sure how to express his gratefulness. He hadn't had a clean outfit in four months, and he hadn't had pajamas in longer.

"Alright, you two. How about some icecream?" Toriel asked. Frankie and Frisk both nodded enthusiastically.

 _Good._ Frisk signed again. I-C-E-C-R-E-A-M, _Good._

"I haven't had icecream in months." Frankie said. Frisk looked mortified and then they grinned.

"Well, then!" Toriel said with a smile. "We'll have to get two scoops instead of just one to celebrate!"

* * *

As the cranberry-red car pulled away, Sans found his phone. It was still on the counter from the previous day. The skeleton suddenly grew conscious of what a mess the house was, this was surely no place to raise- to take care of a kid. A chill ran down Sans' spine as he remembered the shattered window.

 _Right. Gotta call Asgore._

Sans hated asking people for favors, but there was no way he could afford to replace the large window on his own. He sighed, scrolling through his contacts until he found the king. After pressing 'call', it only rang twice before a familiar voice picked up.

"Howdy!"

"uh… hey. It's Sans."

"Sans? How strange! You have never called me before! Why _are_ you calling, if i might ask?"

Sans let out a weak chuckle, glancing over at the shattered window,

"Some vandals broke a window at my house… and uh… I guess you could say… i'm _broke"_

The king chuckled, he seemed to enjoy puns as well, but not as much as Toriel.

"I can certainly help with that! I shall send someone over to fix it as soon as possible!"

Sans felt guilty for asking such a favor,

"Thanks. Uh… as soon as I can, i'll pay yo-"

"Nonsense! It is what friends are for! you do not have to pay me back!" The king's voice was cheerful, he seemed to be having a good day. Sans still felt bad, but decided he shouldn't argue.

"Thanks, Asgore."

"It is no problem, Sans! I expect to see you at Spaghetti Dinner Night next time!"

Sans winced.

"Of course."

They said their goodbyes and Sans was alone again. He figured he should probably clean up a bit, if Tori saw this mess, she'd freak. Sans chuckled as he walked into the kitchen, imagining Toriel's reaction to the absolutely trashed house. He grabbed a garbage bag from underneath the sink and began picking up little pieces of trash. The skeleton had not even realized how much trash there was until he found himself still finding more after 30 minutes. It looked a bit better though, the small trashbin in the corner of the room was no longer spilling all over the floor, and the other various piles that had accumulated over the past 11 months had vanished. He looked at his handiwork, satisfied. Sans yawned.

 _I could probably take a nap before the kiddo comes home,_ Sans thinks to himself. It felt odd to actually be expecting someone. He shrugged and made his way to his room, pushing open the door. _And I thought the kitchen was bad…_

His room was trashed, as it usually was. Socks lie scattered across the floor like confetti, in the farthest corner of the room was a large pile of clothes, all of the outfits similar to what he was wearing now. _Tomorrow. I'll clean it tomorrow._

The procrastinating skeleton sat on the edge of his bed, kicking off his slippers, and letting out another long yawn. He truly was tired, the amount of sleep he had been getting was less than what anyone could possibly function off of. Always plagued by nightmares. Sans shuddered, slipping under the covers. At least it was always the same nightmare. Sans had grown used to it. He wakes up in Snowdin. Everyone's gone. Papyrus. Undyne. Alphys. everyone. Everyone but _them._ The dream always ends with Sans dying, his own blood staining his hands, but it doesn't phase him. He just glances down and shrugs, smiling back at his killer before turning to dust- and he wakes up.

It was the same every night. Sans drifts off, allowing the darkness of sleep to consume him.

* * *

 _Sans opened his eyes. An all-too-familiar orange and yellow glow blurred in his vision. He blinked a few more times, the room finally coming into focus. The last corridor. Sans glances around in confusion, before his eyes fall upon the dark figure in front of him. The figure was cloaked in shadow, but their eyes were visible. Their blood-red eyes._

"hee hee hee… _" Sans knew the figure was talking, but the laugh sounded like it was coming from all around him, it echoed through the pillared hallway, causing chills to run up Sans' spine. As the figure took a step forward, Sans instinctively took a step back._

"What'̶s҉ ̡th̢e mat̨te̶r S͝a̸ns͜? Y͞ou look̡ ͡f̀ŗi̕ghte͜ne͡d…" _Sans could see their face now, a wide, broken smile spread across it like shattered glass. Their voice sounded like it was coming out of a radio, coming out in different octaves and frequencies. Sans glanced behind him, as if he expected an ambush. nothing about this was alright. Sans was scared. When he turned back, the figure was standing over another shadow…_ no… NO… _A sickening feeling spread through Sans as he gaped in horror at the new arrival._

" _ **FRANKIE!**_ " _Sans managed to choke out as the figure raised what appeared to be a knife at the small skeleton. Sans tried to move. Nothing happened. He tried to struggle. Nothing happened. All the older skeleton could do was fall to his knees- he tried to cover his eyes, but it was as if his hands were bound to the floor. He tried to look away, but he couldn't._

" _Frankie! Listen to me, kid, you gott E… Frankie!" Sans shouted desperately, but the kid just turned to him, not moving from his spot. Frankie's eyes were wide with fear, a stream of tears pouring out._

" _S-Sans?" Frankie's voice was quiet and distant, like he wasn't even there. Sans clenched his fists, that were still firmly planted to the ground, he appeared to be struggling._

" _T-That's right, Frankie… You gott e…" Sans hissed critically, his very soul aching with desperation._

 _The knife was raised higher, Sans' eyes widened._

" _Frankie! F-Frankie… please…" Sans' eyes were glued to the small skeleton, but Franklin didn't seem to register what Sans had said. The figure let out another laugh,_

"Ḩ̶͜e̵͞h̷͘ ̵he̡h̶͠ ͞he͜͟h̸̛.҉̧.͡͠. ̶̀̀ _" Their voice was corrupted, it sounded like fingernails on a chalkboard. The knife raised just a bit higher before striking._

" _ **NO! FRANKIE!**_ " _Sans managed to pull away from the invisible grasp, but it was too late. The blade struck the small child across the chest. Frankie let out a cry of pain, more tears falling from his eyes. The figure disappeared just as Sans reached Franklin, pulling the kid into his arms._

" _F-Frankie… stay with me, buddy… just… stay…" Sans choked back a sob, but the kid couldn't speak. His bones soon fell into dust… and all that remained…_

 _was his little red scarf._

"no… NO!"

The orange and yellow hallway had faded. Sans was no longer in the corridor, but in his bedroom, his left eye flashing rapidly between blue and yellow. His breathing was heavy as he sat up, holding his skull with both hands as he tried to forcefully will himself to calm down. But fear had taken hold of him, and he was no match for its grasp. The petrified skeleton could do nothing but sit there as the images of his hallucinated horror replayed in his skull.

 _it felt so real… It felt… too real…_ Sans removes his hands from his head, examining them in front of him. He was shaking, and not just his arms. His entire body continuously quivered as subtle tremors of terror ran through his bones. He blinked a few times, his pulsating iris dissipated, being replaced with emptiness. Sans tried to remember what he did to calm down after his previous nightmares- but it had been so long since those actually affected him, he couldn't think of anything.

What he needed now was something- anything- that could take his mind off of what had just happened. He found himself mindlessly walking down the hall, forgetting entirely to put his slippers back on. The house was empty. He felt numb, every step he took felt muffled. He finally resolved to sit on the couch, the disgusting orange couch looked much more inviting compared to his bed at the moment. He fumbled for the TV remote, his shaking hands made it a bit harder to clutch.

As soon as he pressed the 'on' button, the background noise of the TV seemed to sooth his thoughts. He didn't know what he was watching, and frankly, he didn't care. So long as it distracted him from his dream. Sans glanced over at the clock, he had barely been asleep for a half an hour. Toriel should be back soon… right? He found himself taking small glimpses over at the clock every few minutes, completely autonomously, of course. He shook his head, trying to focus on the TV. He needed to stop worrying… he needed to stop _caring._


	5. Chapter 5: Your Fault

**Welcome to Chapter Five. I hope you guys enjoy this! (It'll get better _eventually_...)  
**

 **Thanks so much for reading and reviewing!**

 **-mariahills-capsicle**

* * *

Frankie was given hugs from both Toriel and Frisk, before they hurried back into their car.

"Tell Sans we're sorry we didn't come in." Toriel had said before they had reached their destination, "But it looks like we're going to be late for dinner at… umm…" Toriel trailed off, blushing. Frankie looked over at Frisk with a frown. Frisk grinned, and signed out: A-S-G-O-R-E

 _Ah._ Frankie had sensed that something strange had gone on between the King and Queen of monsters, but it seemed like they were slowly reconciling, which Frisk seemed to think was adorable and hilarious all at once. Frankie lugged his bag of new clothes up the snowy sidewalk to the front door, which… was…. slightly ajar…

Terror clutched at Frankie's heart. He dropped the bag, and flung open the door. "Sans?! SA-"

"Watch out, kid!" A few worker men were just leaving, and nearly crashed into the poor skeleton when he'd yanked the door open.

"S-sorry." Frankie murmured.

"Frankie!" There was utter relief in Sans' voice, but he quickly corrected it to a smile. "Uh… did ya… did ya have a fun time with Tori and Frisk?"

"Yeah." Frankie nodded, but he didn't say much else. Sans seemed nervous and a little distant.

"Look." He said, gesturing towards where the old blanket that blocked out the cold had once hung. "Good as new." A brand new window was in it's place. Frankie nodded approvingly.

"I… I've got to get my bag." He said. He hurried outside, leaving what felt like a ridiculously stuffy room. Something was wrong with Sans. But what? Had Frankie done something, or was Sans just feeling the burden that Frankie would inevitably put on him? _I love Sans, and I love his family and friends. I don't want to leave. If… Maybe if I just don't bother him so much._

He was determined not to talk to Sans, not unless Sans addressed him first. He didn't want to bother the older skeleton. Besides, Sans seemed to have enough on his mind anyways. Frankie sat down on Sans' front step and watched as the workmen crossed the street to where they had parked their truck. It was beginning to snow again. But Frankie didn't want to go back inside. Seeing Sans' door ajar nearly gave him a heart attack. He didn't want to relive his parents' death. Maybe it _was_ better to be on his own…

"Heya, kiddo." Sans had stepped out from the house and sat down next to Frankie. They sat there for a long moment in silence. Then Sans sighed. "What's going on?"

"Nothing." Frankie shrugged, trying to avoid bothering Sans.

"I'm glad you're home, Frankie." Sans said. "It was getting…. kind of _bonely_ here with you gone." Frankie looked up, with a laugh.

"Your puns are terrible."

"I know…" Sans laughed. "Papyrus hates them." Then suddenly, he was done. His smile was gone, and he sighed, bowing his head. It was as if he didn't want to remember Papyrus at all. Frankie looked away. Despite Sans' terrible puns, he still couldn't erase the fear of that moment- walking up the sidewalk and seeing the door open. _What if… whoever did that to my parents just wants to hurt me? What if… what if they'll kill Sans and all my new friends too?_

Of course, realistically, he knew it had just been a human who had come and killed his parents to make a point to all Monster supporters. His parents had just been at the wrong place at the wrong time. If they hadn't been home, nothing would have happened. Well, maybe their apartment would have been ransacked, but… Frankie couldn't think logically now.

"Hey, Frankie." Sans said, a hand gently rested on Frankie's shoulder blade. "What's wrong?" Tears quickly filled Frankie's eye sockets.

"The door was open!" He whispered. "I thought-" He wasn't ready to tell Sans about his parents yet. "In my nightmare last night… the door was open and someone had come in…." He couldn't talk anymore. He was gasping for breath- almost hyperventilating.

"Hey, hey." Sans said. "It's going to be fine. It was just a dream. Nothing's going to happen to you. I won't let anything happen to you."

"I-I'm so-sorry!" Frankie gasped. "I don't- I- I don't want to b-bother you."

"Hey, kiddo. Trust me. I've got plenty of things to worry about, but that doesn't mean I can't worry about you."

"S-sans…." Frankie pulled the skeleton into a tight hug. "You're the best." His breathing had evened out, at last as he on tightly to Sans. He felt Sans stiffen, but the older skeleton returned the hug anyways.

* * *

 _The door was open… Frankie was standing in Sans' living room, the orange couch behind him. Before him was Sans' front door, and it was open._

" _H-hello?" Frankie whispered. It was too dark to see very far ahead. "Sans?"_

" _Franklin." He spun around, expecting to see Sans, but… the shadow… it wasn't Sans. It was taller, thinner… And when it stepped forward Frankie saw that it was human. "You believe I took everything from you." It said._

" _Y-you have." Frankie gasped._

" _Are you so sure?" The human laughed, and Frankie backed up towards the open door. Would this be his future, on the run from this monster that plagued him? "Monsters still roam the streets, Franklin, and you know there are plenty of humans out there who desire nothing more than to have the earth to themselves- to destroy the monsters. To send them back to where they came from."_

" _You won't win!"_

" _What makes you so sure?" The human smiled._

" _My-my friends are strong! S-sans, he's going to wake up any moment, and then… then you'll...y-you'll have a b-bad time!"_

" _Ah, Franklin, it's too bad that it's too late for your friends."_ What? " _That's right, call out for them. Call for help." The human reached forward and grabbed his arm._

" _SANS! SANS!" Frankie screamed. But nobody came._

" _Do you know why they won't come? Sans is dead. They're all dead. And just like your parents, and it's your fault." The human hissed._

" _NO!" The lights flashed and then turned on, and Frankie was alone with what was left of all his new friends. Bold red spray paint was spread across the wall: THIS WORLD IS OURS._

" _Sans… Papyrus…" Frankie gasped, tears filling his eyes. "Where are you? Come back!"_

 _But nobody came._

Frankie woke up, and this time it was with a sort of peace. He stared up at the ceiling above him in acceptance. So, this was how it was going to end? Only in pain and hurt, just like his parents. For a few days he had thought that maybe the surface world wasn't going to be the nightmare he had experienced in his first few months there. He thought he'd found someone who would change all that, and he'd made friends already. But it seemed that in this world there was no escaping those humans who would have them all killed. The human in his dream, he didn't know who it was but… but they had said this was his fault. He didn't want to leave Sans, or the others but… he couldn't watch them die. He didn't want the death of the others on his shoulders. He couldn't watch them die because of him. It was time to leave.

He pulled himself out of bed quietly, and quickly changed from his pajamas to his new sweater and pants. He pulled on his new boots, and new jacket and packed his backpack as quietly as he could. The clock on the stove in the kitchen read '2:00'. Sans wouldn't be awake for a long time. Frankie found an old note from Papyrus and a pencil. On the blank side of the note he wrote: 'Please don't follow me. I don't want to hurt anyone.' And then he carefully set it on his pillow.

Within fifteen minutes he was out of the house. In those minutes he wasn't able to think rationally, the little boy could only think of saving his friends, and this was the best way he knew how.

* * *

As much as Sans wanted to, he could not sleep. He glanced over at the unused alarm clock on his bedside table. _2:54_ _AM_. He groaned, turning over onto his side, hoping to find some way to get comfortable. The sleep deprived skeleton tossed and turned for a bit. He was still trying to get the nightmare out of his head. Sans shuddered, and sat up. He may as well make himself a cup of coffee, since he wasn't going to be sleeping. Putting on his slippers, Sans slowly opened his door, and walked down the hallway to the kitchen, passing by Frankie's room on the way.

As much as Sans hated to admit it, he had taken quite the shine to the little guy. _All the more to be torn away from me,_ He thinks to himself, but he didn't care this time. It was his choice; and he chose Frankie. So what if the kid won't remember him?

Sans pulls down a mug from the top cupboard, setting it gently on the counter, to avoid making loud noises. As the pot brewed, Sans thought about what he should do until Frankie wakes up. Perhaps he could distract himself with the TV again… that seemed to do the trick earlier that day- or, yesterday, actually.

The coffee had finished brewing, its bitter aroma filling the kitchen. Sans pours the black liquid into his mug. He doesn't much care for coffee, the taste had always been rather putrid to him, but at least it woke him up a bit.

And so he stood there, leaning against the counter, finishing off his cup. He poured himself another, and finished that one as well. Sans tapped the counter with his fingers, the clacking of bone on granite filling the house. He let out a long sigh, glancing over at the clock, it read _3:28 AM_. He had barely passed any time at all. _Great._

And there was surely no way he could fall asleep now, the coffee had already begun to wake him up. Another sigh. He shuffled over to the couch, sinking into the worn out cushions. He was about to reach for the remote, but then remembered he wasn't alone in the house. He had someone he needed to take care of. With that thought, his nonexistent heart fluttered with pride. He was doing something good for once.

The now smiling skeleton felt compelled to check on Frankie, just to make sure he's alright. It seemed that knowing the kid was okay would put Sans' mind at ease for once. With a smile still on his face, Sans walks down the hall to Frankie's room. Even his steps seem a little more upbeat. For the first time in nearly a _year_ , Sans had a purpose- and everything felt perfect to him. The first thing Sans notices at Frankie's door, is the fact that the light is off.

 _Strange… He was so worried that I'd turn the light off last night…_ Sans' happiness turns to dread. With a, now shaking, hand, he reaches for the doorknob. The door creaks open, the darkness of the room seemed to consume him as he stepped inside. Sans felt for the lightswitch on the wall, fumbling a bit before switching it on.

As his eyes adjusted to the light, panic swept over Sans like a wave. With a quick glance, Frankie's bed was empty. Fear gripped Sans as he raced over to the bed, tearing off the covers with a single pull. Nothing. Sans' thoughts swirled in his mind, _The kid must've gotten up already. Maybe he went to go find me. Maybe he was looking for me._ Sans tried to reassure himself, but nothing happened. As he exits Frankie's room, he doesn't notice the little note on the pillow…

"Frankie?" Sans' voice echoes through the empty house. No response. An icy trickle of fear ran down the short skeleton's spine.

" _Frankie!_ " No response. Sans felt numb, his hand fumbling for his phone in his pocket. without thinking, he dials Toriel, having difficulty doing so, due to the fact that his hands were shaking wildly. _Ring…. Ring…. Ring…_ Finally, a groggy voice on the other side picks up,

"Hello?... Sans?"

Sans attempts to speak, but nothing comes out.

"Sans, it is... 4 AM. What is it?"

After mustering up some courage, Sans speaks, his voice shaky,

"H-have you seen Frankie?"

A pause.

"No. I have not. Sans? What is going on?"

"I- I don't know, Just… Just went to check on h-him and… and… he wasn't there. Tori… Tori I don't know what to do... I I-"

"Sans. Calm down, please. I will be over as soon as I can." Toriel's voice was surprisingly calm.

"Please… hurry…"

 _Click._

Sans set down his phone on the dining room table, making sure it wasn't on silent. The distressed skeleton shook as he gently eased himself into a chair. He found himself breathing heavily, staring down at his hands with hopeless eyes. _Congratulations. You've failed everyone. You thought you could take care of a kid, and look where that got you. Frankie's probably dead now because of you. You goddamn idiot._

That was it. Sans couldn't take it any longer. Tears begin to well in his eyes, and before long, they spill over the edge. Violent sobs shook the skeleton in intervals of sorrowful tremors. It had been so long since he'd last cried. So long since he'd actually let his emotions get the best of him. This was too much.

He had failed. He failed. Sans was a failure. He had one task. And he failed it. He rested his elbows on the table, holding his skull in his hands as the tears flowed freely from his eye sockets. He lost track of time, his quiet weeping resonating through the house. A knock at the door.

Sans stiffly rose from the chair, trying to wipe away his tears as best he could. With each step, he felt more and more dread take hold of him. With a trembling hand, he opened the door to reveal a sleep deprived Toriel. She wore a nightgown with a floral pattern, a long blue coat over top of it. At the sight of Sans, her tired expression grew into a worried one.

Sans looked terrible. His eyes were dark, and underneath them, darker circles were forming. Although Sans had taken care into not letting anyone know he'd been crying, Toriel could tell. He stood there, trembling before her, looking up at her with a pleading expression.

"Sans…" Toriel began, "What has happened?" Toriel places a soft hand on Sans' shoulder. Sans winces.

"T-Tori… I…" But that was all he could say, before tears overtook him once more. All of the times he didn't cry, now pouring out of his eyes like an open faucet. Toriel couldn't think of anything to do but embrace the crying skeleton, her heart aching for him.

"Sans… It is alr-"

"I failed, Tori… I… It's all my fault. I'm s-such an _idiot._ " Sans cut her off, stammering through his tears. Toriel had never seen him like this before, he always seemed so collected and calm and humerous. This was the side of Sans that no one had seen. The side of Sans that he _never_ let anyone see.

"Sans. You are not an idiot… what is your fault, Sans? What are you talking about?"

It was a long while before the short skeleton replied,

"F-Frankie's gone. He's gone,Tori. It's all my fault… I-I went to go check on him… and he was…" Sans trails off, another wave of sobs taking over. Toriel gives him a gentle, reassuring pat on the back.

"It is not your fault Sans. Do you know where he could have gone?" Sans pulled away from Toriel's embrace, unable to look her in the eyes. He shook his head.

Sans collects himself, forcing himself to smile. That was what he always did anyways, smile and pretend nothing bad had happened. It came naturally to him. He needed to check again. He needed to go back to Frankie's room and check one more time. He needed to make sure this was even real. With his luck, this could just be another nightmare. He clears his throat,

"I'm gonna check his room again." Sans is surprised with how steady his voice is, but then again, his experience in acting allows for this sort of thing. Toriel nods, following him as he made his way back down the hall. Despite the window being fixed, Sans could still feel a cold breeze run through the house. As the skeleton walks into the room, he stiffens. He hadn't dreamed this…

The covers of Frankie's bed were still thrown off, just as Sans had left them. Sans' head was a bit clearer than it had been when he first walked in. The first thing he noticed now, was that the little backpack Frankie always kept with him was missing. He dashes over to the dresser. Empty. So Frankie wasn't taken… he'd left. That was it.

"Sans." Toriel's voice was soft. Almost too soft. She's standing over Frankie's bed, something in her hands. Dread. Whatever's about to happen, isn't going to be good. Sans cautiously walks over to her. She was holding a small piece of paper, she handed it over to him.

 _Please don't follow me. I don't want to hurt anyone._ Sans stared down in confusion at the note. If Frankie wanted to be left alone, Sans sure as hell was going to leave him alone. Besides, Isn't this good? Isn't this what Sans needed? He needed to stop _caring_ , this seems like the perfect opportunity to do so.

But Sans _couldn't_ stop caring. As much as he screamed to just leave the kid, he _couldn't_. The world is a dangerous place for monsters, and Frankie was walking into a battlefield without a weapon. The skeleton looked up at Toriel, who stared down at him with a concerned look in her amber eyes.

"We need to find him, Tori. I don't know why he left, and I'm sure he had a reason… but we _need_ to find him."

Toriel nodded.

"Of course. It is much too dangerous for him to be alone out there…"

Sans let out a weak chuckle,

"Where do we even _begin_ to look?"

Toriel thought about this for a moment.

"We are going to need some help. I'm sure Papyrus, Undyne and Alphys would be happy to. I should probably tell Frisk what's going on… They're not going to be happy…"

* * *

Everyone showed up almost immediately, Papyrus in his bright red convertible, which he insisted on keeping the cover off of because it's more 'cool', Alphys and Undyne arrived shortly afterwards, still in their pajamas. Toriel told Asgore to watch Frisk while they were searching, much to Frisk's disappointment. The search party was ready.

Papyrus offered to take Sans, to peruse the city in his car, since Sans had never ridden in it before. Sans refused, deciding he'd better go on foot. The search was underway. Alphys and Undyne, of course, stuck together. Toriel decided to go with Papyrus, but was reluctant to leave Sans by himself.

The short skeleton walked down the icy sidewalk, glancing around for any sign of Frankie. Sans had noticed small boot-prints, but since it had begun to snow again, they were slowly being covered up. It was still dark out, but the dim streetlamps allowed for some visibility. The snow came down in giant white flakes, a wind had picked up as well, sending the flakes spiraling around Sans.

He continued walking. Nothing. He helplessly looked around, his typical smile locked firmly in a frown. He called out,

" _Frankie?!"_

But nobody came.

He keeps going. His eye sockets firmly glued to the ground as he slowly walks along the darkened sidewalk. The sound of his slippers pressing into the snow is the only sound, it echoes through the sleeping neighborhood. Suddenly something catches Sans' eye.

About 10 feet in front of him, something lay on the ground. He keeps the same pace, approaching the object. He freezes. On the ground…

is a little red scarf...

* * *

 **REVIEWS FOR CHAPTERS THREE AND FOUR:**

 **StarBee24:** loving this! Don't see to many stories like update soon. It would be...Sans-sational XD

 _You might even call it sans-tastic. ;) Thanks so much for reading! We're gonna try and update every three days._

 **and also for Ch. 4:** Bad nightmares! Bad nightmares! Leave them alone!

 _My cousin would probably like to inform you that it's only gonna get worse. But fear not! I shall be the voice of hope and say: After it gets worse it'll get better. :)_

 **Guest:** Wow so much sadness! Try to add a slight bit of happiness to some of these please. Although it is still absolutely amazing. Update soon and Thank you for your time.

 _Firstly... I'd like to say, I am so sorry. (That is my cousin) Once again I shall be the voice of hope. IT WILL GET BETTER! I PROMISE. *sobs softly* ...after it gets worse..._

 **GenuineGreenTea:** I LOVE this fanfiction! It probably the best I've read in a while. (And I've read more than a few.) please keep updating!

 _Aww! So glad you like it! We'll try our best to update every three days! It might be hard to keep up. :)_

 **ERODE:** this is a really good fanfiction :)

 _Thanks! :D_

 **Thank you all so much for reviewing! It's very encouraging. :)  
**


	6. Chapter 6: Two Dozen Roses

Frankie had been walking through thick snow for what felt like hours. He was cold, wet, and tired. The idea of going back home- _No! I don't have a home!_ He was all alone, and it was for everyone's good… wasn't it?

 _You can't keep running, Franklin._

 _I have to! I have to!_

 _Franklin. Stop._

He ignored his thoughts and kept walking. It was beginning to snow heavily. _Good. It will cover my tracks._ And yet, a small part of him yearned for someone to find him. Something seemed… off about the whole situation. Despite this, his nightmare, his deepest fears still lived within him and so he continued on. He would not be the cause of anyone else's deaths.

Time passed quickly, and he suddenly he shot up out of some sort of trance. He was back in the city again, he'd been lost in his own thoughts, ignoring his surroundings. He hadn't realized. He sighed, taking in a deep breath. Even so early in the morning the city was alive with noise. Traffic was terrible in this weather, and those who were hoping to go somewhere, found they weren't getting anywhere at all. Frankie passed by all the honking cars, his boots sinking into the thick snow. _I'll have to find a place to settle down for the night._

He began searching for a good, sheltered alley way. He had examined quite a few alleys when he found a fairly good one. There was an old trash can barrel he could crawl in. This would protect him from the snow, and it might help keep him a bit warm. He had gotten to his knees to crawl into the metal can when he reached up to feel around his neck and realized that his mother's scarf was gone. _No!_

He scrambled to his feet and looked down the alley way at the lights of the city. He had been walking for hours! He could have dropped it anywhere. He began to panic. He knew he'd had it when he'd left the house, but what if he'd accidently dropped it just outside the house? He couldn't go back now! By the time he got there Sans would be awake! _But it's my mother's scarf, what am I supposed to do? It's the only thing I have left._ Tears filled his eye sockets.

 _I'll just search where I walked around in the city. I can't go back outside._

There was a part of him that was afraid Sans would find him. But the larger part was afraid that if he returned to that little house that he'd made his home for only a few nights, he might not want to leave. He shoved his hands in his pockets and began hurrying down the street. It seemed like too much time had passed when he finally gave up. Falling to his knees in the snow, he finally let the tears out that he'd been holding in.

"Hey, kid." Frankie looked up and was startled to find a human man sitting on the steps to the small apartment in front of him. _Run! Run!_ But there was something different about this human. There was kindness in his dark brown eyes. He had darker skin, and gray hair. He was wearing a thick, ugly christmas sweater, and he gave Frankie a gentle smile. "Are you lost?" Frankie shook his head slowly.

"I know where I am." He said.

"Why are you out so late?" He asked gently. Frankie sighed, standing up from the snow, wiping away a few more tears.

"I don't… I don't have anywhere to go." _Liar. Liar._ He didn't have anywhere to go if he wanted to protect his friends from the nightmare that plagued him.

"Well, what's your name, son?" The human asked.

"Frankie."

"I'm Luis. Don't worry, Frankie. I take in lots of kids that don't have a place to go. I help them find the perfect family."

"Really?"

"You betcha. Come on inside." Luis stood up and opened the door to his warm inviting house. Frankie hesitated. But gave Luis a smile and rushed in. Luis followed after him with a laugh. _It's a place to stay… for a bit._

"Come and sit down over here, Frankie." Luis was older than Frankie originally thought. He more shuffled when he walked, and he used a cane to help him around. "Are you hungry, kiddo?" Luis asks. "I've got some crackers and cheese."

"Sure." Frankie said. He tried to hide that Luis calling him 'kiddo' reminded him of Sans.

"So, where do you come from, Frankie?"

"The underground." Frankie replied, kicking off his boots. Luis let out a deep laugh.

"I figured that, son. I mean, where'd you come from after that?"

"I… Well… we kind of moved around most everywhere." Frankie shrugged, "But… my parents… they're… gone now…"

"I see." Luis said. "Have you been on the streets ever since?" Luis came back into the living room holding a platter of sliced cheddar cheese and a large stack of crackers. Frankie hesitated. Luis may have been a human, but Frankie had seen plenty of humans over the past few months and Luis's expression was not like the others. He wasn't like the terrible teenager that kicked Frankie and threw rocks. He wasn't like the cop who watched it with enjoyment, and he wasn't like Miss Kindon who didn't care. Luis cared, and he had the same kindness in his eyes that Frankie saw in Frisk's eyes. So, he decided to tell the truth.

"Well, there was this guy. He took me in, you know. But… I had this dream."

"You had a dream?" Luis frowned.

"It was bad." Frankie sighed, looking away from the old man who was sitting across from him. "I just… I had to leave because it was my fault my parents are gone, and I don't want-"

"Who told you it was your fault?" Luis asked.

"Someone in my dream. He said it was my fault my parents are… gone, and that if I stayed with Sans then Sans and my new friends would die to."

"Franklin, that's a load of nonsense." Luis said firmly.

"But I know what I saw-"

"And I know that it was just a dream, a nightmare. Nightmares are Nightmares, son. They're just… jumbled up thoughts in your head. You probably have a little fear inside you, you know. Nightmares just come from things you've experienced and thoughts in your head. It was just a dream, son."

"Sans says he has bad dreams too." Frankie murmured.

"Did you like living with this… err… what did you say his name was, Sam?"

"No." Frankie shook his head with a little laugh. "Sans."

"Sans. What an intriguing name… Well, did you like living with Sans?"

"Yes!" Frankie nodded. "But I've made a terrible mistake, haven't I? By leaving, I mean?" Frankie's eyes filled with tears.

"Pfft. Look, son. I once had a dream where I figured I ought to buy a bouquet of daisies for my Elli. Daisies are nice and all, you know?" Frankie nodded. "But, see, it was Valentine's day. And my Eleanor, she's an elegant woman. As I was walking home with the bouquet of daisies that my dream told me to get I realized… I don't have to listen to my dream! Dreams are just dreams! I'm going to go back and march into that store and say 'I don't want these daisy! My Elli deserves two dozen red roses!' And you know what I did?"

"What?" Frankie asked.

"I dropped those daisies, son, and I forgot about that gosh darn dream and walked back to that store. And that very minute I ordered my sweet Eleanor two dozen roses. It's just a nightmare, Frankie, it shouldn't define you." Luis was right. And Frankie suddenly yearned to return to his home, to his home with Sans.

"Do you remember where Sans' house is, kiddo?" Luis asked. Frankie nodded again.

"Well, it's a little late. How about we take a little nap and when we wake up we head out back to your home?"

"Would you really help me find him?"

"Sure. After all, just like I've always been saying, every kid deserves a family. And it sounds like you found a family with Sans." Frankie paused, mulling this over. "Welp, kiddo, I'm gonna get you some extra blankets and you can crash here on this comfy couch. How does pancakes sound for breakfast in the morning?"

"Well-"

"I bet you probably wanna get back to Sans pretty quick. He's probably pretty worried."

"Yeah!" Frankie nodded.

"Alright, after we get some shut eye I'll pull out the cereal. We can't possibly leave the house without breakfast."

"Thanks, Luis." Frankie said as he pulled off his coat and climbed under the covers that the old man had brought out.

"You know, Franklin, most people around here call me Grandpops. You can call me that too."

"Alright."

"Goodnight, kiddo. See you in the morning."

"Goodnight." Frankie said, as he settled down on the sofa. For the first time in a long time he smiled before he fell asleep, his thoughts on returning home.

* * *

" _Sans. I understand you are worried- but please- come home. We can continue the search tomorrow, alright? It is late. Call me back as soon as you get this message."_

That was one of 4 messages that Toriel had left Sans that night, all 4 of which said essentially the same thing, all 4 of which he ignored. No. There was something wrong. Frankie could be dead. He could turn a corner, and there could be a pile of dust with that little beat up backpack of his sitting in it. He turned a corner. He was met with nothing.

Sans hadn't been to the city much. He hadn't left his neighborhood in months. The last time he was here, it was to get registered as a citizen. There were human riots that day. In fact, one right outside the building he was in at the time. Windows were broken, insults were screamed and there were even some reported monster beatings. One monster died. Sans tried to shake those thoughts from his mind. The last thing he needed to be thinking about was humans.

Since it was late, the only businesses that were really open were nightclubs and bars. Of course, having an arsenal of drunken idiots roaming the street didn't bode well for Sans. As he passed a group of humans, who he assumed were very intoxicated, he was met with insults and jeers. He shrugged. Well. He shrugged until they threw a bottle at him. Sans had never seen humans run so fast.

He turned around with a glare, his sleep deprived eyes piercing their very souls. That glare alone, didn't do much. In fact, they laughed a bit at it. But with his anger growing, Sans wouldn't stand for that. Sans knows the consequences of beating the hell out of humans. Doesn't look great on a monster's record. He didn't _care._

The humans ran. Sans smirked, turning around to scratch the massive skull that had materialized behind him on the snout. _Good boy._ Sans rarely used his attack, probably because he had no use for it on the surface, but he found, with this experience, that his blasters were perfect for scaring away drunken idiots.

Sans continued. Glancing down every alleyway, looking down every street. Oh, how he craved sleep. How he craved giving up. He pushed away those cravings by clutching the small red scarf that he kept held tightly in his left hand. Papyrus, Undyne and the others had stopped searching around 6AM, they went to go get breakfast to keep their strength up, promising to continue the search later. It was _at least_ 9AM now. Sans was in the middle of the city now, a clock tower stood there and confirmed this. 9:23AM.

The humans were waking up now, making their daily commute to work. Sans hadn't even _sat down_ in at least 10 hours. He found himself a small park bench, letting out a sigh as his aching bones rested. Just 20 minutes. Just a 20 minute break before he got back to searching. He didn't know what he was searching for more: Frankie, or confirmation that Frankie had died.

Sure, his assumption was completely his own, but seeing his scarf there brought out Sans' worst fears. If he couldn't find Frankie, and _if_ he had died… He _might_ be able to sleep at night if he _knew._ If he knew that there was nothing he could have done. If he knew that Frankie was dead, he could give up this search. Move on. Wait for the reset.

But as of now, Sans' life was a living _Hell._ Every second he waited on that couch, his anxiety and fear grew greater. It obviously showed through, because he was soon approached by… a human? They were bundled up, a long green scarf and a matching green hat covered their face. The person sat down next to him, hesitating before speaking,

"Are you okay? Y-you look kind of upset…" Their voice was a woman's, although it was muffled by the scarf. She seemed kind of afraid, to be talking to a skeleton. But Sans didn't blame her.

"Yeah. I'm fine." Sans replied. It had been awhile since he'd met a nice human, there was nothing malicious in her voice. Only kindness and curiosity. She seemed to be having trouble speaking. Perhaps she had anxiety. Sans wondered how much courage it had taken to even approach him. He decided to speak instead,

"The name's Sans. Sans the skeleton." He holds out a hand. No, no whoopie cushion in the hand trick. He didn't feel like it. She takes his hand, shaking it gently.

"R-Riley. Riley the human." Sans chuckles. She, at least, had a sense of humor. What was he doing? He shouldn't be making small talk right now,

"Have uh… Have you seen a little skeleton? Carrying around a little backpack? About…" He raises a hand off the ground to the approximate height of Frankie, "...Yay high?"

Much to his disappointment, Riley shakes her head. He nods.

"A-Are you looking for them?"

"Yeah. He uh… he's missing…" Sans was reluctant to tell this random woman his life story, but she was nice. He wasn't just going to get up and leave.

"D-Do you need h-help looking?" Her personality reminded Sans of Alphys. She seemed like a total nerd. He chuckles at the thought, he absolutely _had_ to get the two to meet.

"I wouldn't want to burden you. Thanks for the offer."

"oh n-no! It's no trouble! W-Work doesn't start for me for another-" She glances up at the clock, "Few hours. I have an a-afternoon shift at work today. I-I usually get up early to go to the library."

Riley seemed really eager to help. How could he say no? It might be nice to have someone to talk to as he walks the soon-to-be-busy streets.

"You sure? Wouldn't you rather be at the library?" She shakes her head.  
"My N-New Years resolution w-was to be more open to people i-in need and… well, y-you looked like you were in need…" Jeez, did it really show _that_ much? He hated feeling helpless, but he nodded,

"Alright. Thanks. I was just taking a break." She gazes into his eyes, her soft green ones staring directly into his dark ones. She immediately looks away, she was obviously still a little uncomfortable. Alright, ice has frozen over again. Now's your turn to break the ice.

"Wanna hear a joke?" He asks, raising a non existent eyebrow. She looked confused, but then smiled. Or he assumed she smiled, there was still a scarf around her mouth.

"S-sure!"

"Why didn't the ghost go to the dance?"

"Dunno… why didn't he?"

"'Cause he had _NO BODY_ to go with"

She's laughing. No she's _snorting_. Sans can't help but chuckle, too. Her laugh was ridiculous, she almost seemed a little embarrassed because of it. Sans is glad that he managed to lighten the mood a little, though. He glanced up at the clock. 5 more minutes, and he would resume the search. But God, did he need this distraction. Riley manages to stop laughing, subconsciously pulling her scarf back up.

"T-that was a good one, Sans!" He furrowed his eyebrows. Something was up with that scarf. Although it was January, it wasn't that cold outside. He frowned. Riley noticed his frowning,

"I-Is something w-wrong?" He shook his head, he wasn't going to bring it up. He'd only just met this woman, and he didn't want to intrude on any personal business. _Ring. Ring._ His phone rings. He looks down at the caller ID. Toriel. He hesitates. _Ring._

"A-Are you going to answer?" No. He didn't want to. But he found himself clicking the green button anyways. He raises the phone to his skull,

"Tori?"

"Sans! Thank the heavens! We were all so worried!"

"Heh. I'm fine."

"Did you find Franklin?"

 _Frankie_. Sans stiffens.

"N-no. I haven't."

"I am sure he will turn up, Sans. Please. Come home? Everyone is worried."

Sans shakes his head, fully aware that Toriel couldn't see it, but he doesn't care.

"No. I'm sorry, Toriel, but it's my fault he's gone. And I need to find him."

"Very well, Sans. But… but please. Do not blame yourself."

"Bye, Tori."

"Goodbye, Sans…"

 _click._

Sans puts the phone back in his pocket. A worried glance from Riley. Or at least, He assumes it's a worried glance. It's kind of hard to read someone's emotions with only their eyes. She hesitates before speaking,

"A-are you sure… that you're okay?" Of course he wasn't okay. Seems that Riley could sense that. No point in lying, right? He sighs.

"No. I'm not okay." Wow, it felt great to say that. Why did he feel so comfortable around this person he'd not even met 10 minutes ago? The clock chimes. 9:45AM. He shuffles to his feet,

"I have to uh… continue searching. You still want to come with?" Riley nods, probably giving Sans a patient smile.

"Of c-course! A-and on the way, you can tell me a-about everything…" Sans is reluctant to do so, at first. But as they make their way along the street, he finds himself telling her _everything_. Well, not _everything_ , of course. Just everything about Frankie. He'd never told anyone about the resets or his nightmares, and he likely never would.

Riley was the second nicest human he had ever met, Frisk of course, being the first. She was so understanding and nodded whenever he didn't want to tell her something, never pestering him to tell her anything he didn't want to share. They slowly walked along the beaten apartment buildings, talking back and forth. Sans found himself having a good time for the first time in the past few hours.

"So you really love this kid, huh?" Her stammering had gotten a lot better. _Love._ Strong word. But hell, would Sans really have been walking around for this long if he didn't love the kid?

"Yeah. I really do." He smiles. But then, that smile fades into a frown. _Frankie…_

"Hey- It's okay. I'm sure we'll find him. There's two of us, right?" Sans is just about to respond when a door swings open to the apartment behind him.

" _now then, do you remember where this Sans guy lives?"_

" _I… I think so!"_

 _Frankie._

Sans spins around, his heart racing. It's him. It's really Frankie. The small skeleton is standing next to an older man, smiling widely. Everything around Sans freezes.

"Frankie." Sans breathes out. As soon as his eyes lock with the smaller skeleton, Frankie lets out a small cry and runs to him. Sans kneels down, wrapping the kid in a tight embrace. Sans finds tears coming to his eyes, and he doesn't do anything to keep them there. Relief washes over him. Washes over his soul. Frankie is crying too, mumbling sorry in between sobs.

They stay there, for a long time. Holding each other, smiling widely and crying. Finally, Sans stands up, his hand around Frankie's. He looks over at the older man, wiping tears off his cheekbones,

"Thank you. Thank you so much, sir. I… I don't think I could ever repay-" The man cuts him off, his kind smile says it all.

"No need. You must be Sans, Frankie told me a lotta 'bout you." Sans smiles, happiness and relief in his tired eyes.

"I could never thank you enough, Sir."

"Name's Luis. And there's really no need. I'm happy to help."

Sans no longer felt like the entire human race was out to get monsters. No. There are always a select few that are kind. A select few that he'd like to call friends. He glances over at Riley, who is probably giving him a broad smile. He looks back over at Luis, who's also smiling kindly. He feels warm. He feels welcome.

"Now then, I'd assume that you'd like to get back home, Sans. Don't let me keep you here." Luis chuckles, he actually looks a little… wistful. Frankie tugs on Sans' sleeve.

"He's really nice… we should visit him sometime." Sans nods in agreement. As the old man turns around, he calls after him.

"Hey uh- Luis. I really appreciate what you did for Frankie. For me. If it's no hassle, We'd like to visit you sometime. Give ya a little company?" Luis' eyes light up,

"I'd love to have you! Visit any time!" Luis opens his apartment door, looking back at Frankie,

"See ya, Frankie."

"See ya, Grandpops!"

The old man seems really happy. Sans is glad. Sans turns to Riley, who'd been waiting there patiently for that entire interaction. He smiles widely at her.

"Thank you. For helping." She probably smiles.

"I'm glad I could! I'm happy you found him!" Sans wasn't about to let this friendship end here with her. She was too kind to just let go and never see again.

"We should exchange numbers. We could hang some time. We have movie nights every Tuesday."

"u-uh sure! Lemme grab my phone!" She fumbles around in her purse, pulling out a phone with a ridiculous case. Looked like some sort of anime thing. Yep. Alphys and her will be best friends.

Sans hands her his phone, and they exchange numbers. She put her contact name as 'Riley the human'. He'd put his in as 'Sans the skeleton'. They laugh. Sans was practically falling asleep on his feet, suddenly he remembers the scarf.

"Oh! Here, kiddo. You must've dropped this." Sans holds out the scarf to Frankie. Frankie's eyes light up as he grabs the scarf, wrapping it around his neck.

"Thank you!"

Sans chuckles. It was time for them to go _home._

* * *

 **REVIEWS FOR CHAPTER FIVE:**

 **Guest:** Man, hard seeing sans so worked up - I thought nothing ever got under that guy's skin c;

Nice fanfic though, I'm really enjoying it - can't wait for more updates!

 _What can we say? He loves the kid. I'm so glad you're liking it!_

 **StarBee24:** OH NO! FRANKIE! Some is gonna have a bad time if they mess with him. Can't wait for next chapter! :D

 _Yes. Someone's definitely going to have a bad time! :) Thanks for reviewing!_

 **Thanks so much for reviewing! :) See you on the next chapter.**

 **-mariahills-capsicle**


	7. Chapter 7: Voices

**This is a bit late, and it's definitely shorter, but I hope you all enjoy it all the same. :)**

 **Thanks for reading! :D**

 **-mariahills-capsicle**

* * *

Frankie was happier than he had ever been, finally having found Sans. They walked for quite some time before Frankie tugged on Sans' sleeve. The older skeleton knelt down in front of him with a smile and a shake of his head.

"What is it, kiddo?"

"I'm sorry, Sans. I won't ever do it again." Frankie said, hugging him. "It was just because I was scared-"

"I won't let anything ever happen to you, kiddo." Sans said.

"No, I mean, I was afraid that if I stayed you would all get hurt." Frankie whispered.

"Why?" Sans frowned, he pulled Frankie away so that he could look at him.

"I had a nightmare."

"Nightmares again." Sans murmured. He shook his head, "It's okay, kiddo. It's just a dream."

"I know, that's why I was going to look for you."

"How about, next time you have a nightmare you talk to me first, kiddo?" Sans said with a chuckle. Frankie nodded. "Alright. Let's go home."

Sans led the way on their long walk, back through the city, to Sans' house. _To our house?_ Frankie thought about this for a moment. It had been so long since he considered any place a home. Thinking about Sans, and the new friends Frankie had made, he thought perhaps that he was right. This was his home now. And he loved it.

They reached the house a little before noon. Before they could even walk up the path to the door Papyrus burst from the building and threw his arms around Sans.

"SANS! I'M SO SORRY! I HAVE FAILED YOU! I KNOW THIS MUST COME AS A SHOCK, BECAUSE I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, HAVE NEVER FAILED ANYTHING BEFORE, BUT- OH!" Papyrus's expression of sorrow turned into one of joy. "YOU FOUND HIM! SANS, LOOK, IT'S FRANKIE! DON'T BE SAD!"

"Thanks for helping, Paps." Sans said with a smile. "A-are you crying?"

"NO! FRANKIE, I AM GLAD YOU'RE BACK!" Papyrus pulled Frankie into a big hug. "EVERYONE ELSE WILL BE VERY-" But before Papyrus had time to finish his sentence everyone else came rushing out of the house. Toriel, Asgore, Frisk, two others that Frankie hadn't really gotten to know too well- Alphys and Undyne.

"You found him!" Toriel cried. But, once again, before anyone could reply. Frisk pulled Frankie into a tight hug. Then they pushed him away, signing frantically.

"They want to know why you left? They say they were worried. They want you to know that you're their friend." Sans translated, laughing at how quickly Frisk was signing.

"I… uh… had a nightmare." Frankie whispered. Then he looked up with a smile, "I'm your friend?" Frisk nodded. They locked their index fingers together twice.

"Friend." Sans said. Frankie repeated the sign. Frisk nodded. They pointed to Frankie and then signed again. _Friend._

Despite his nightmares, Frankie was glad to be back in the house with all of Sans' friends, with all of _his_ friends. Papyrus immediately got to work on some celebratory spaghetti and Frisk asked Frankie to show them his room. Frankie was happy to oblige. He happily unpacked his backpack. He showed Frisk the picture of his parents, and the old rubics cube he had solved millions of times. Frisk told Frankie that he should come over to their house sometime. It was during dinner that Toriel suggested something that Frankie thought was interesting.

"Perhaps after this has all settled down and you're settled in again Frankie would like to go back to school?" Toriel asked. _School?_ The last time Frankie had been to school was in the underground. When monsters had first come up to the surface, their children hadn't been allowed in human schools. But after months of work they were finally permitted. Frankie's parents, in the last month of their lives, still kept him out of school because they knew it was dangerous. They tried to teach him as best as they could at home, but it had been difficult with both of them working. It was a terrifying thought to go to school with all the humans. He knew there were many who would hate him because of what he was. Frankie looked up at Sans to see what the skeleton would say.

"As long as it's your school, Tori, I think that'd be a good idea."

"Toriel has a school?!" Frankie blurted out.

"A school for monsters." Sans nodded.

"We do not exclude human children." Toriel said quickly. "The majority of our student body is monsters, but there are a fair amount of human children and teachers as well."

"Does Frisk go there?" Frankie asked. Frisk nodded with a smile.

"How does that sound, kiddo?" Sans asked.

"Well…"

"You don't have to start right away." Toriel said, "It's just something to think about."

"Okay." Frankie nodded.

After dinner was over Frankie was reluctant to see their guests go home, but he was also a little relieved. Everyone had been excited to talk to Frankie about Toriel's school, but the idea confused and frightened him a little. It might be fun to return to school, but after all this stress, after all these nightmares, he needed to settle in. He needed his life to return to some semblance of normalcy.

"How you doing, Frankie?" Sans looked tired. Frankie had collapsed, face down, on the ugly orange sofa after Sans had finally convinced Papyrus to leave. He had been patient with the taller skeleton, but after a while he had become firm. " _Papyrus, it's late. We all need sleep."_ Sans' younger brother gave Sans and Frankie both huge hugs, and then hurried on his way.

"Tired." Frankie mumbled into the sofa.

"Scoot over, kid." Sans sat down next to Frankie with a sigh. "What do you wanna do tomorrow?" Frankie shrugged.

"Well…" Sans looked thoughtful. "Maybe we can take a walk. We could go visit Luis, and walk through downtown. I bet we could find you a new rubics cube."

"Really?" Frankie said.

"Why not? Does that sound like fun?"

"Sure!" Frankie nodded.

"Alright." Sans chucked. "Downtown it is."

"Heh. c'mon kiddo, bedtime." Sans chuckled, the little skeleton was falling asleep on the couch. Frankie mumbled something, probably in agreement. Sans gently lifts him off the couch, Frankie wraps his arms around Sans' neck. Sans smiles, walking down the hall to Frankie's bedroom, opening the door with his free hand.

Sans felt conflicted… the last time he'd left Frankie alone… _no. he'll be fine._ The older skeleton shakes away the thoughts as he peels away the covers, placing Frankie beneath them, and pulling them up to his chin. The tiny skeleton was out cold. Sans chuckles before walking back towards the door, glancing one last time before leaving, making sure he left the light on.

Alright. Sans needs sleep. He shuffles down the hall to his room, falling into his bed, and then falling asleep.

Sans glances over at his alarm clock, 11:24AM. _Jeez._ He yawns. For once, his night was undisturbed. No nightmares. No nothing. It was weird, but nonetheless, he gets up. That was a pleasant sleep. He feels refreshed.

The first thing he did when he got up was check on Frankie. Still asleep. Sans smiled and made his way into the kitchen for a cup of coffee, as soon as that was accomplished, he sat down at the dining room table. _Right. What do I need to take care of a kid?_ He gets out a sheet of paper and begins to make a list. _Food, toys probably, clothes..._

 _What the hell are you doing, Sans? Do you really think this is permanent?_ There was that voice in his head again, he tries to fight back. _Shut up._ The voice responds, _if I shut up, you'll get attached. That's only going to make things worse when it resets._

" _I said SHUT UP!"_ Crap, he said that out loud. He glances warily down the hallway, looking at Frankie's room. Nothing moved. _Good._ He probably looked like a complete mad man.

 _Sans. You can't do this. Remember the first time you got here?_ Images of the first trip to the surface flashed through his skull. He had been… So happy. He vaguely remembers it, but he certainly remembers waking up back in Snowdin. The pain and shock. He closes his eyes.

 _Listen here- As long as I have hope-_ the voice cuts him off, _hope? That's hilarious. When have you ever had hope?_ Sans is about to retort, but the voice is right.

Sans had been devoid of Hope for as long as he could remember. He had given up. _You're making this worse for yourself, sans. One day, you'll wake up and it'll all be gone._ He puts his hands on his skull, willing the voice to go away.

 _Shut up! Shut up!_

"Sans?" A new voice spoke, Sans drops his hands.

"Heya, kiddo"

Frankie stood there, still in his clothes from yesterday, a concerned look on his face.

"Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, of course it's okay", Sans lied. He slaps a smile on his face, "you ready for today?"

"Yeah!"

Sans chuckles softly. _Hey. Hey, Sans._ He visibly grimaces. _**What?**_ _Look at all that excitement and enthusiasm that won't matter bec-_ Sans pushes the voice away.

"Alright, kid. Let's get going."

* * *

 **REVIEWS FOR CHAPTER SIX:**

 **hi ace50:** good.  
and goodnight.

 _Yes. Mostly, everything is good for now. ;)_

 **Shadefeather682:** *dies of relief* oh thank goodness...

 _:D we'd hope that'd be the reaction before all the rest of the pain my cousin is coming up with. I think that in this scenario my cousin is always the bad news and i am the hope that keeps it all in check. it's actually disturbing. She's over there chanting DEATH! and i'm like "nooooo". I know it's necessary to hurt these babies to continue with this plot, but auuuughhhh. :(_

 **Guest:** Aww so cute. Please update soon and thanks for your time.

 _Yay! I'm glad you liked it! :)_

 **Thank you all so much for reviewing! :) See you next time.  
**


	8. Chapter 8: Monopoly

**And here we are- Chapter eight. A little fluff for you before things go downhill? :)**

 **-mariahills-capsicle**

* * *

Downtown was ridiculously busy that morning. Frankie followed Sans closely, clutching his hand tightly. The first stop was the little grocery store on the corner.

"What do you want for breakfast, kiddo?"

"Mmm…" Frankie stared at the peaches in front of him, contemplating the question. He finally sighed, "I don't know. I like lots of things."

"Okay…." Sans led the way to the cereal aisle. "Why don't you go ahead and pick a couple of these, and we can get some waffles or something as well." Sans let Frankie pick out most of the food. By the end of their little shopping trip their cart was full of food, including cereal, frozen waffles, hotdogs, and lots of ketchup. Frankie had picked out some sandwich makings, and Sans had finished their shopping spree by picking out two chocolate bars. After they paid for their food they began walking back towards home.

"Who was that girl, Sans? The human?"

"Which one?" Sans asked, looking around in confusion.

"The one who was with you yesterday when you found me." Frankie replied.

"Oh. I guess I never introduced you to her." Sans said with a frown. "Her name's Riley. She offered to help find you."

"Oh. that's nice of her!" Frankie said.

"Yeah." Sans nodded slowly. "She was nice."

They had only walked a few more feet when they passed a toy store. The huge window with flashing lights and little toys drew Frankie's eyes away from his path and his chocolate. He stared in wonder at all the little toys. There were figurines, toy soldiers, blocks, games, stuffed animals, a whole treasury of fun. Frankie was transfixed.

"Heh." Sans chuckled, "You wanna go in, Frankie?"

"Yeah…." Frankie murmured, still in awe. Sans led Frankie into the little shop, still laughing and shaking his head at Frankie's excitement. Frankie, of course, had seen these little shops before while wandering around the town and doing his usual work of begging for some change. He'd always been transfixed by the many colors, and the brightness and cheer of the shops, but he'd never been allowed in. It had been a year since he'd even owned anything to play with, besides his old rubics cube.

"Lets find an new rubics cube for you." Sans said, but Frankie had already stopped in his tracks, staring up at a display of stuffed animals. Right in the middle was a brown and white dog with a deep blue collar. He wanted to reach out, grab it, and never let go. It looked soft and fluffy, and he was already in love with it.

"Made a friend?" Sans popped up behind him. Frankie nodded slowly. "What sort of name do you think he has?" Frankie shrugged.

"Doesn't matter. He's not mine."

"Why not?" Sans asked. He reached up and pulled the large puppy from the shelf handing it to Frankie. "What do you think his name should be?"

"Are you serious?!" Frankie gasped.

"What? I'm always serious." Sans grinned. "It's im _paw_ sible to say no. What are you going to name it?" Frankie looked down at the fluffy puppy in his arms and smiled. After a moment he looked up.

"I think I'll call him Sir Barkley Bones."

"Barkley. I like it." Sans laughed. "Not bad. Not bad at all. What do you say we head home?"

"Sure." Frankie nodded, still staring in awe at his new friend.

"Lets pay for this and hit the road. I think there's some left over Spaghetti in the fridge for lunch."

"Yes!" Frankie followed after Sans eagerly.

* * *

They arrived home just after noon. Sans went inside to put the groceries away, but Frankie stayed outside, playing with Sir Barkley in the snow. Sans came out after a few minutes to find Frankie sitting on the front step, hugging the stuffed animal like it was his lifeline.

"I love him." Frankie said. Then, something caught the little skeleton's eye. Walking towards them through the snow was a beautiful tortoiseshell cat. She was a splash of colors, orange, black and a bit of white on her chest. Frankie stood, dropped Sir Barkley and rushed over towards the cat. She didn't seem too afraid of his approach, but as he got nearer to her he slowed down, and fell on his knees. She looked so fluffy, she had the longest fur and her amber eyes blinked up at him with curiosity. He held out his hand, and the cat leaned forward slightly to sniff him.

"Hi!" Frankie whispered. "Can I pet you?" What he wanted to do was grab the fluffy animal and hold onto her and never let her cat sniffed Frankie a little bit longer and then rubbed her head across his hand. He grinned, reached out and gently pet her. He found that despite looking healthy on the outside, she was very skinny and her fur was matted and dirty. In a few minutes she was perfectly comfortable with him. So, he reached around her and pulled her into his arms. He stood up and marched over to Sans, a victorious smile on his face.

"Can we keep her?" Frankie asked. Sans was holding Sir Barkley, but was watching Frankie intently with a grin.

"Well, she seems like the _purr_ fect pet." Sans said. "How can I _paw_ sibly refuse?" Frankie set the cat down and gave Sans a tight hug.

"You're the bestest, Sans!" He said.

"Just be careful. Sir Barkley might get jealous." Sans said, patting Frankie on the back. Frankie leaned over and picked up the cat again.

"I think Sir Barkley and… mm…"

"Mm?" Sans said. "Is that the cat's name?"

"No!" Frankie laughed. "I'm thinking…. Well! I think they'll become best friends."

"A cat's a big responsibility, Frankie."

"We can take care of her together." Frankie said as they entered the house. Frankie set the cat down after Sans closed the door. It was much warmer in the house, and the cat seemed extremely pleased with this discovery.

"Well." Sans said. "It looks like we're going to have to go back to town to get some things for your cat."

"My cat. I've never had a pet before." Frankie watched as the cat found her way to the orange sofa and made herself comfortable on one of the armrests. "What should I name her?" Frankie asked. Sans handed him back Sir Barkley.

"Whatever you want." He replied with a smile.

* * *

The week had gone on, Frankie had named the cat 'Justice'. An odd name, but Sans wasn't about to object, besides, it was Frankie's cat anyways. Despite that, the cat alternated between beds at night, sometimes sleeping with Frankie, and other times with Sans. The next day, they'd gone to the pet store and bought all of the necessary supplies for a cat. Sans put Frankie on litter box duty, which was fine with him. Justice was his responsibility after all.

But now, it was Tuesday. Spaghetti dinner night. movie night. and Sans wasn't ready for this. but he promised Asgore and he _had_ to go. _It's alright, it's only one night._ Sans told himself silently. of course, that voice decided to pipe up again. _It's one more night with your loved ones that they won't remember._ Sans visibly cringes. _Will you SHUT UP?_ the voice seems to laugh _._

 _Where would be the fun in that?_ Sans grumbles quietly, pushing the voice wasn't going to deduct the happiness of others due to his own discomfort. Frankie was fumbling through the hallway closet, something fell.

"You okay there, Frankie?" Sans asked, chuckling.

"I'm okay! Hey Sans…?"

"yeah?"

"What's 'Monopoly'?"

Sans had forgotten all about the old board game, it was there when he moved into the house, he walks down the hall to where Frankie was. The little skeleton was holding the dusty board game.

"It's a board game. Might not be super fun for you, kiddo. It's kinda boring."

"But I've never played it before…" Frankie looked crestfallen.

Sans shrugs.

"You can bring it along for tonight if you want, I'm sure Papyrus would love to play it with you."

"Are you gonna play too?" As much as Sans wanted to say no, he couldn't.

"Of course."

Frankie gave Sans an excited look, and rushed off with the game in his hands, nearly tripping over Justice in the process. The cat was on her way to rub against Sans' legs, brushing her face against the hard bone. Sans had never had any sort of pet before, and her behavior was weird to him, but he assumed that was a good gesture. She was looking a lot better than she did when they had first taken her in. A lot plumper and happier, that's for sure.

Sans reached down to give the cat a scratch behind the ear, which he also assumed she liked because of the weird purring noise she made. Once Justice had enough, she moved on, probably to go find Frankie. In the meantime, Sans decided to shoot Riley a quick text, reminding her about Spaghetti Night.

 **Heya** There was a brief minute of pause before the reply came.

 _Hi!_

 **Ur still coming for Spagh night, rite?**

 _Yup! Uh… how many people are gonna be there?_ Sans counted on his fingers. Asgore. Me. Frankie. Alphys. Undyne. Tori. Frisk. Papyrus.

 **8 not including you.** A pause.

 _Oh._

 **Is that alright?**

 _Yeah, it's just… I'm a little nervous around groups of people._

 **U don't have to come, if you don't want**

 _Oh no, it's fine! I think it would be good for me to get to know new people._

 **Cools. U can come anytime, I guess.**

 _Alright! See ya there!_

 **C ya**

Sans quickly texted her Papyrus's address before getting ready to leave. And by getting ready to leave, all he had to do was slip on his hoodie and wait for Frankie, who was having difficulty holding Monopoly and slipping on his boots at the same time. As soon as that was accomplished, they were out the door.

The walk was nice, Sans let out a content sigh as the two skeletons made their way to Papyrus's house. As soon as Sans knocked on the door, it flies open to reveal his brother, who embraces him immediately.

"heh. Alright Paps. That's enough." Sans chuckles, pulling away from his embrace. Frisk races to the door next, a smile wide on their face as they spot Frankie. They grab his hand and pull him inside, and Sans follows. The smell of spaghetti already hangs in the air. This time, Asgore and Toriel were chatting quietly on the couch, chuckling occasionally.

 _Glad to see they really hit it off_ Sans smiles, but that smile soon fades into a frown as the voice returns. _Oh yes, because their reconciliation really 'hits off' later, when everyone resets._ Sans tries to continue smiling, ignoring the voice. Toriel calls to him from the couch,

"Hello, Sans!" She seems to be happy, any tension between her and Asgore appears to have disappeared.

"Heya, Tori." Sans replies, trying to sound cheery. Oh. He hadn't told anyone about Riley yet.

"uh, if it's no problem, I invited a friend over for tonight." Everyone looks delighted. Papyrus is smiling, a bold expression on his face,

"I SHALL BECOME GREATEST FRIENDS WITH THIS NEWCOMER!" Sans chuckles.

"I'm sure you will."

Alphys and Undyne arrive shortly thereafter. The food is almost ready by now; Sans checks his phone to see if Riley had texted. Nothing. He shoots her a quick text.

 **Heya, u on ur way?**

 _I don't know if… I should. I mean, I don't want to intrude or anything on your family and stuff._

 **Hey, it's alrite. U wouldn't be intruding. I invited u, remember.**

 _Right, right. Sorry. I'll be over in a bit._

 **If ur not comfortable with coming over, u don't have to.**

 _No it's fine, like I said: I need to get out more._

 **Alrite. See ya in a bit.**

 _See ya._

Sans sets his phone down, walking over to Alphys and Undyne to greet them. Apparently, Alphys brought anime for them to watch after dinner. Sans agreed with her decision. _Riley'd probably like that,_ he thought to himself as he sat down on the couch, awaiting her arrival. Was it too soon to be inviting her to meet all of his friends and family? She seemed a little hesitant to approach _him_ let alone 7 completely random, and rather intimidating strangers.

He should probably have warned her about Undyne beforehand. About 5 minutes of small talk about the past week and how Frankie now has a cat, which Alphys seemed very excited about, turning to Undyne to ramble about how _they_ should get a cat, the doorbell rings. Sans managed to beat Papyrus to the door, he wanted Riley to be greeted with a familiar face.

Sans opened the door to reveal Riley, wearing a dark blue scarf and a black beanie. _Something's up with the scarf thing._ Sans decides not to mention it, and gives her a reassuring smile.

"Heya"

"H-Hi" oh yeah. She seems nervous. If the stammering wasn't enough, the shaking sure was. Sans held the door open for her, allowing her inside. A chorus of 'hellos' greeted her as soon as the door closed behind her.

"H-Hello!" Undyne shot up from the couch. Oh no. The fish woman bared her teeth in a sharp smile, extending a hand to Riley.

"Hey punk! The name's Undyne!" Riley shakily took her hand, clearly intimidated by her. Alphys was next, clumsily getting off the couch and hobbling over to the terrified human,

"I-I'm Alphys, U-Undyne's girlfriend." Alphys was a lot calmer, and that seemed to, in turn, calm Riley down a bit.

"I-I-I'm Riley. N-Nice to meet you both!" Sans decided to introduce the rest of the crew, starting with Toriel. He pointed over to the goat woman,

"Uh, Riley, this is Toriel, Tori, this is Riley" Toriel nodded and smiled softly in response,

"It is nice to meet you, dear!" Riley probably smiled back,

"N-Nice to meet you too!"

Next, Sans points over to Asgore. If there was anyone more intimidating than Undyne, it would be the 10-foot-tall goat man sitting casually on the couch.

"That's Asgore. Uh, essentially, the king of all monsters." Riley's eyes widened,

"U-Uh nice to m-meet you, your majesty!" Asgore chuckled,

"Just Asgore is fine, Riley" Riley nods swiftly. Sans looks around, it appears as though Papyrus is not in the room. Or Frisk and Frankie, for that matter.

"Uh, th' kids are around here somewhere… In the meantime, I think Papyrus is in the kitchen. Remember, I told ya about him?" Sans says, turning to Riley.

"Y-yeah your brother, right?"

Sans nods, feeling kinda bad to force her into this position- meeting 7 new people in one night. He turns, walking over to the kitchen, taking a quick glance back to make sure Riley followed. Papyrus was vigorously stirring the pasta, stopping as he heard Sans approach, he turns,

"SANS! WOULD YOU LIKE TO-" Papyrus catches sight of Riley, "SANS! I DID NOT KNOW YOUR FRIEND WAS A HUMAN!" The taller skeleton immediately wraps Riley in an huge hug.

"GREETINGS, HUMAN! I AM THE GREAT PAPYRUS!" Riley laughs, hugging the skeleton back,

"I-I'm the Great Riley, nice to meet you, Papyrus!" Papyrus' eyes sparkled,

"WOWIE! I DID NOT KNOW THAT YOU WERE GREAT AS WELL!" Sans chuckles. _Oh yes. she'll fit in just fine with our band of misfits._ Papyrus releases the hug, turning back to Sans.

"AS I WAS ABOUT TO SAY, BROTHER, WOULD YOU LIKE TO SET OUT PLATES WHILE I PREPARE MY FINE CULINARY DISH?" Sans shrugs,

"Sure, Paps," Sans glances over at Riley, "Uh- If you wanna hang out with them in the-"

"N-No, it's fine, I-I'll help you set up!" Sans didn't object, she seemed a little anxious around them still. The two of them set plates around the large dining room table. Sans watched as Riley pulled up her scarf again. He was going to ask about that one day. With the combined efforts of the two, the table was set in no time.

Frankie and Frisk were already ready to eat when Papyrus brought in the largest bowl of spaghetti Sans had ever seen, and he'd seen _giant bowls of spaghetti._

"I MADE EXTRA FOR FRANKIE, IN CASE HE WOULD LIKE TO TAKE SOME HOME!"

Frankie looked over at Sans in excitement, Sans nodded. The little skeleton was bouncing for awhile before calming down to eat a large helping of pasta.

Everyone had gathered around the table at this point, snatching helpings as the giant bowl of spaghetti was passed around. Alphys nearly shrieked when she saw Riley's phone case,

"O-Oh my god. That… from…"

"Mew Mew Kissy Cutie? Y-yeah, it is!"

"O-Oh my god! The second one was so AWFUL!" Riley laughed.

"Pffft oh my god, it totally ruined the plot of the first one!"

 _Well, looks like Alphys has made a new friend._ The entire table groans. This could go on for awhile.

And it did. Clear until dinner was over, Riley and Alphys rambled on about how Mew Mew should have done this, or how that one girl should have left this one guy alone. Everyone let out a sigh of relief as the two concluded their rant.

Frankie jumped up suddenly,

"Sans! Werent we gonna play that game? Uh… monopolop?" Sans chuckles,

"Monopoly?" Frankie nods vigorously, rushing off to find the board game. Frisk follows him as well, nearly tripping over their own feet in excitement. Papyrus narrows his eyes,

"MONOPOLY? ISNT THAT THAT ONE GAME WITH THE HOTELS AND STUFF? AND YOU GET TO-"

"I CALL THE CAR!" Undyne screams, pounding the table with her fist. Riley jumps at the sudden commotion, subconsciously pulling her scarf up frowns slightly.

Frankie returns, holding the game in his hands. Shortly thereafter, the table was cleared off and the game commenced. Toriel and Asgore decided not to play, instead allowing the others to play, since there are only a certain number of pieces. The two looked much happier, going into the other room and talking. that left Sans, Frankie, Frisk, Undyne, Alphys, Papyrus, and Riley. Alphys decided to be the banker, and everyone chose their pieces. Papyrus and Undyne physically fought to get the car,

"I CALLED IT, PUNK!"

"BUT IT IS ONLY FAIR THAT THE GREATEST PERSON GETS THE GREATEST PIECE!"

Needless to say, Sans had to break it up before Papyrus decided to use his special attack. Frankie chose the dog, Frisk chose the battleship. After careful consideration, Alphys chose the thimble. Sans went with the obvious next choice- the boot. and finally, Riley chose the top hat.

The game began rather slowly, but soon, Sans was smiling as he landed on Boardwalk. He stared everyone in the eyes as he purchased the most unforgiving place in the game. Their eyes filled with fear, as one after the other, they fell victim to his trap. Sans put hotels and houses on it, just to add more entertainment as his friends cowered in fear.

"SANS. THAT IS NOT FAIR! YOU CANNOT HAVE THAT MANY HOTELS ON ONE SPOT!" The taller skeleton was getting angry, shrieking as he landed on Boardwalk again.

"C'mon Paps, no need to be so worked up about it. But- you do owe me money so uh- shovel it over."

"THAT DOES IT! I AM DONE PLAYING THIS GAME- SANS IS A CHEATER!" And so that concluded Monopoly. Sans was the clear winner, although the game didn't conclude, per se. It was movie time, and Alphys happily showed Riley what she had picked out.

"Spirited Away? I LOVE THIS MOVIE!" Riley laughs, Sans was glad Riley was having a good time. She was really freaked out earlier, but, everyone seems to have accepted her in their hearts.

Next, they all bundled up on the couch as Alphys stuck the movie in. It was a little squishy, so Frankie and Frisk moved down the the floor. Riley sat in between Sans and Alphys, still carrying on a little about Mew Mew Kissy Cutie 2. Sans soon found himself drifting off to sleep, content.

* * *

 **REVIEWS:**

 **TheSoCoolWriter: (chapter three)** I SHALL HUG THE SMOL SPAGHETTI LOVING SKELE-CHILD  
TOO PRECIOUS  
This is AMAZING though.

 _Aww! We want to hug him too! :)_

 _Thanks so much!_

 **StarBee24: (chapter six)  
**

yay! happy reunionand Sans made a a little friend. though I wonder what she might be hiding under her scarf...?

 _Mmm... *singing* Secret! Secret! Hush! Hush! Hush!_

 _I guess we'll find out... Nyeheheh!_

 **Reviews are so appreciated! Thank you so much for giving us a little piece of encouragement! Anything helps! :D  
**

 **See you all for chapter nine!**


	9. Chapter 9: Panic

**Chapter Nine! This one is actually probably one of my favorites so far! So enjoy, and let us know what you think!**

 **-mariahills-capsicle**

* * *

The only think Frankie regretted about the last Spaghetti night was that he didn't really get to meet Sans' new friend, Riley. He had a lot of fun. Frisk was an awesome friend, and was helping him learn more and more sign language.

"Soon I'll know it all!" Frankie exclaimed to Sans on the way out the door.

"DON'T FORGET YOUR AMAZING SPAGHETTI LEFTOVERS!" Papyrus cried. He came dashing towards them carrying a huge bowl, which Frankie gratefully accepted.

"Awesome! Papyrus you're the best!"

"A GENUINE COMPLIMENT! NYEEEEEEEHHHH!"

"He'll get over it." Sans said as Frankie looked worriedly at the tall skeleton who looked about ready to explode. Riley came trotting out, side by side with Alphys. They skirted around Papyrus, who was still frozen in awe at the compliment. The two of them were still discussing the movie happily. Undyne followed them out of the house with a groan. Frankie watched as Riley noticed Sans and turned his way.

"Umm… Th-thanks, Sans, for inviting me. I… I had a lot of fun meeting y-your friends."

"You're welcome to come anytime." Sans said.

"M-maybe we should… get together s-sometime?"

"Sure." Sans nodded. Frankie watched Alphys lean over and whisper something to Undyne who smirked, but before he could continue watching the scene unfold, someone grabbed him from behind and pulled him into an extremely tight hug.

"NYEH! I MAY THE BEST, BUT YOU'LL MAKE IT TO SECOND!" Papyrus screamed. Frankie could only laugh, (or more like wheeze in the tight grip of the tall skeleton). Frisk, Toriel, and Asgore came out of the house next.

When Frisk saw Frankie firmly caught in Papyrus grasp, they covered their laugh with their hand. They shook their head.

 _I'll have to tell you sometime about how I met Papyrus and Sans._ They signed.

"It was underground, right?" Frankie asked.

"HMM? AH YES! IT IS A GOOD STORY! SOMETIMES I TELL IT TO MYSELF BEFORE I GO TO BED… SINCE SANS ISN'T AROUND TO READ ALOUD ANYMORE." Papyrus looked sad only for a moment, "IT'S A STORY FULL OF FANTASTIC PUZZLES AND SUPERB PASTA-TRAPS, MADE BY THE GREAT-"

"You made Pasta Traps?"

 _He thought he did._ Frisk signed, but Papyrus didn't notice.

"YES! AND WE FINISHED THE DAY WITH A GREAT FIGHT! AND OF COURSE-"

"Frankie? You ready to head out, kiddo?" Sans asked. Papyrus reluctantly released Frankie from his grasp.

"Sure." Frankie sighed. "Maybe next time I can come over you can tell me the story, Papyrus."

"OF COURSE! I'D LOVE TO TELL YOU THE STORY!" Then he looked over at Sans nervously and said in what might be described as a Papyrus-whisper, "SANS, I'VE NEVER TOLD ANYONE A STORY BEFORE. I'VE ONLY HEARD PEOPLE TELL THEM TO ME! WHAT DO I DO?!"

"You'll do great, Papyrus. Just say what you remember about meeting Frisk." Sans replied.

"OH! WELL, OF COURSE I'LL DO GREAT-"

"See you next Spaghetti night, punk!" Undyne grinned down at Frankie, "Later, Sans."

"Yup."

"R-riley, maybe… you could come over some time and we could watch Mew Mew Kissy Cutie."

"That.. that would be really fun, Alphys. I r-really liked getting to know you."

"Me too!" Alphys smiled. "See you next time."

"Yeah!"

"See you l-later, Sans." Riley waved goodbye.

"Bye." Sans nodded.

"Goodbye, Sans and Frankie." Asgore and Toriel stood above them. Frankie turned to Frisk.

"Bye!"

 _You still should come over sometime._ Frisk signed.

"I'd like that a lot." Frankie nodded. The two hugged goodbye and Frisk followed Asgore and Toriel into Tori's little car. Papyrus was the only one remaining now.

"GOODBYE, SANS! YOU MUST COME VISIT SOON OR I'LL BE FORCED TO USE DRASTIC MEASURES!"

"I'm sure. Why don't _you_ come over some time, Papy?" Sans frowned.

"R-REALLY?! WOWIE! OF COURSE I WILL!" Papyrus nearly screamed. He pulled Sans into another ridiculously tight hug.

* * *

Sans and Frankie made it home pretty late, so Frankie was sure it would be bedtime the moment they got into the house. Sans lead his way in and sure enough with a yawn he said,

"Well, it's about bedtime, Frankie, why don't you go get ready?"

"Okay…" Frankie sighed. Then, hoping to change the subject, "Sans, Papyrus is pretty cool! Do you think he'll come over?"

"Knowing Papyrus, he'll probably jump at the opportunity immediately. I wouldn't be surprised if he showed up at the doorstep tomorrow morning."

"Really? Awesome! I bet he'll really like Sir Barkley and Justice. What about Riley are you gonna invite her over sometime." Sans nodded.

"Sure!"

"Cool!"

"Alright, kid, I know what you're doing. It's definitely time for both of us to go to bed." Sans said. Frankie sighed.

"Fine…" He hurried into his room to change into his pajamas, but was excited to find Justice fast asleep on his pillow. He fell onto his bed, completely distracted by her. He stroked her long fur and giggled at her purring.

"Frankie…" Sans groaned from the doorway. "Come on, get up. It's time for bed."

"Sans, isn't she cute? She's sleeping next to Sir Barkley."

"Yes, she's cute." Sans replied, "But right now, it's time to get to bed."

"Alright." Sans stood in the doorway until Frankie pulled himself off his bed and grabbed his only pair of pajamas- dark blue with red spaceship prints and yellow stars. "When I come back you should be under the blankets with your pajamas on."

"Okay." Frankie said.

When Sans came back he found Frankie just way he'd requested, gently petting Justice.

"Sans," Frankie said, "Can Frisk come over some time?"

"Sure. We can talk about it tomorrow. I'm going to go to bed now-"

"Sans? What if I have a nightmare?" Frankie asked. He hadn't in a little bit, which was a rarity, the idea of having another absolutely terrified him.

"You're not going to have a nightmare, kiddo, I promise." Sans said.

"But what if I do?" Sans sighed.

"You can come get me and we'll talk about it, okay?" Sans said.

"What if I wake you and-"

"It's going to be fine, Franklin." Sans said. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Sans." Frankie whispered.

* * *

 _Frankie blinked. Something… something was wrong. The room- his room, had an eerie feeling about it. He slowly stood from his bed, shaking._

" _Sans? Sans?" He whispered, not daring to talk louder. "Justice?" He tiptoed to his door, and opened it slowly, revealing blackness. "Sans?" No reply. So, he stepped into the hall, searching for the lightswitch._

 _When, at last, he was able to locate the switch he flipped it, but nothing happened. He shivered._

" _Sans?" He whispered. The hall seemed to stretch out for miles before him, and his vision wasn't adjusting. Everything was still black. "Justice…?"_ I'll go back and get Sir Barkley! He'll help me find Sans! _Frankie spun around to go back to his room where he knew Sir Barkley was waiting on his bed, but he found that his door had vanished, on either side there was only wall. He began to panic._

" _SANS!? JUSTICE? ANYONE?!" The walls seemed to be closing in around him, he had only the choice of moving forward. So he ran, ran as fast as his little legs would carry him. "SANS?! WHERE ARE YOU?" Tears slid down his cheek bones. "SANS, COME BACK!"_ **You're all alone. You're all alone, again.** _And then Frankie burst free from the corridor, finding himself sliding into the snow of their front yard. Before him, much to his joy stood Papyrus._

" _PAPYRUS!" He flew into the skeleton's arms._

" _FRANKLIN, WHAT'S WRONG? WHERE IS SANS?"_

" _He's gone!" Frankie sobbed. "I can't find him anywhere…."_

" _IT'S ALRIGHT! I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, WILL HELP YOU FIND-" But before Papyrus could finish, there was a slashing noise. The tall skeleton faded into dust. All that remained was his red scarf. Frankie let out a yelp, throwing the dust off of himself as darkness engulfed him again._ _ **You're all alone. You'll always be alone.**_ _Shaking off the shock Frankie stared down at the red scarf in his hands, gasping for breath through his tears._

" _P-p-papyrus? PAPYRUS! SANS! PLEASE! WHERE ARE YOU?!"_ **But Nobody Came.** _And the darkness drew nearer, the walls were closing in on him, choking the life out of him. The emptiness, the anger, the sorrow… "NO!"_

Frankie shot out of sleep, with a terrible scream. Then, realizing that he was sitting in darkness and Justice was nowhere to be found he screamed again, and then again- the last drifting away into sobs. There was the slam of a door, and the flick of a light, and Sans was standing in Frankie's doorway.

"Frankie?! Are you alright…?" Relief filled the little boy, but he couldn't shake away his tears.

"S-sans!" He gasped. He didn't want to move from his bed in case it was another dream. Sans came to him instead, offering him a hug. Frankie flinched, turning away.

"Frankie…" Sans looked almost hurt. "What happened?"

"You w-were gone. I was... " Sans set his hand on Frankie's shoulder, and the touch made Frankie realize that he was in reality, not a dream. He fell into Sans' arms, sobbing. "You can't leave! You can't ever leave! I was all alone, and… and… it was dark… and…"

"Hey. I'm not going to leave. I'm right here."

"Papyrus… he was there, but… he died. I was all… all alone…" He tightened his grip around Sans' shoulders, trying to calm his breathing, but to no avail.

"It's alright…." Was all Sans could say, "Everything's gonna be fine. I'm not leaving."

"P-promise…?" Frankie whispered.

"I promise. I'll never leave." Sans lifted Frankie up and began walking down the hall. "Come on, kiddo, if it makes you feel better, you can sleep in my room tonight."

"I love you, Sans…" Frankie murmured. "You're the best."

"I…" Sans paused, opening the door to his room. "I love you too, kiddo." Frankie didn't dare let go of the older skeleton, as he slowly drifted off into sleep.

* * *

As Riley left Papyrus's house, she couldn't help but smile. That had gone a lot better than she expected. No one asked about the scarf. She let out a sigh of relief as she began walking back home. Home being an apartment near the town square. It was a good 20 minute walk, but she didn't care. During the walk, she found herself thinking about hanging out with Sans and everyone in the future.

Especially Alphys. It filled her with excitement to know that someone shared the same views as her regarding Mew Mew Kissy Cutie 2. Riley shudders at the mere thought of the film. She glanced down at her phone. 12:43AM. _Crap, is it really that late?_ She increases speed as she finally hits the city. She knows it's not smart to move slowly through this part of town.

 _Ah, finally. Town square._ She reaches her small apartment building, just across from the library and coffee shop. The apartment itself wasn't that great, in fact, many would call her living accommodations awful. But the fact that it's right across the street from unlimited books and coffee fills her with pleasure and she doesn't care.

Riley unlocked the gate to the stairs, which she climbed quickly, in a hurry to get back to her apartment. When she reached the door, she stopped dead in her tracks. A big red 'X' was spray painted over the door, dripping down in places like blood. She looked cautiously around. _Am I going to die? What if someone's inside? Maybe it's just vandals? What if- No. alright. I can do this. It's probably nothing._

She shakily unlocked the door, trying to ignore all of the impossible scenarios that tried to manifest themselves in her thoughts. It was dark. Riley felt for the light switch, hurriedly snapping on the lights before retracting her hand quickly. _See, there's no one here._ She takes a step in her apartment. The sound of crinkling paper sounds beneath her feet.

As Riley looks down, she sees an envelope, marked with the same red 'X' that was on her door. _Oh god…. Is this a death threat? Have I been marked for death or something?_ Her mind swirled as she bent over to pick up the note, closing the door behind her and locking it. She looked at the letter, taking a seat on the couch. She carefully opened the letter, one of the things inside was a note written in red ink, or at least, what she hoped to be red ink.

 ** _"RILEY: We saw you with that thing. These things are not to be socialized with. If we ever see you with it again, we will not hesitate to pay you a visit."_**

That 'thing' what do they mean? Riley reaches into the envelope once more, pulling out the rest of the contents. She looked down in shock as she pulled out a picture of her sitting with Sans on the bench they had met each other at. Oh my god… are they going to kill me? I was just with them… what if they hurt Sans and his friends? Riley begins losing her composure, her anxiety taking over. I can't see them again. It's too risky. I don't want them to get hurt.

Riley puts the picture and note back in the envelope, setting it aside. No. i'm sure this is just some idiotic anti-monster weirdo trying to mess with me. I… No. I can't take that risk, can I? I can't see Sans again. I can't. If it means I'll be putting his life and everyone else's life at risk… I can't do it.

As much as it hurts her to do so, she decides it would be best to not see the kind skeleton again. Or his friends. She couldn't do it. If this threat held true, would she be killed if she did? Would the monsters be killed? Whatever the answer was, she wasn't going to find out. Riley numbly walks back to her bedroom and gets in her pajamas.

She gets in bed and glances over at her alarm clock. 1:23AM. Ugh. Getting to sleep wasn't going to be easy for her, that's for sure.

* * *

 **REVIEWS FOR CHAPTER EIGHT:**

 **StarBee24:** Aww...puppies and kitties and meeting new people OH MY! Can't wait for the next chapterhope Sans will ask Riley about what she's hiding under her scarf

 _Yes! :) Mmm... as you can see, right now that might be difficult. But of course, we're not giving up on Riley- ever!_

 **sonicxjones:** Aw Family time.

 _3 Yes! :D_

 **Chip the Guest:** Uhhhh, I was here before just as a guest and you merged my review with another, so I'm just gonna be chip the guest now, I seriously would adopt Frankie if sans didn't too cute, please don't give it a bad ending, pleeeeease

 _Oh gosh, I'm sorry! :(_

 _Frankie is my favorite! Super adorable. I will say this: I cannot write tragedy. Like, no way in the world. That's probably a sad thing in some cases, but I just cannot bear to end something with sadness. It's like my dad always says, "If I want real life I'll watch the news. But since I'm reading fantasy I'd like good heroes, and evil villains, and **happy endings.** " So... I don't think it's physically possible for me to end this badly. Besides, who could ever hurt the little skele-kid?! 3_

 **Thank you all for the reviews! It's so awesome to hear from you all, and it's always very encouraging!**


	10. Chapter 10: Pride

**Hello all! Sorry this chapter is a bit late. We've had some technical difficulties, but trust me: Nothing can stop us from bringing you these next few beauties!**

 **So: Behold! Chapter Ten!**

 **-mariahills-capsicle**

* * *

Sans awoke with Frankie next to him, the next morning. _I should probably start filling out the paperwork to get him to school…_ Sans thought to himself as he carefully heaved himself out of bed, trying his best not to disturb the small skeleton beside him. Frankie remained asleep as Sans walked out of his room, shuffling his way down the hallway and to the kitchen. He began to brew himself some coffee, looking down at the forms Toriel gave him in order to apply Frankie for school.

" _SANS?!"_ A panicked voice rang through the quiet house, the sound of rapid footsteps soon following.

"Frankie- it's alright, buddy. I'm in here." Sans calls from the kitchen, soon after, the skeletal child runs into his arms, shaking a little.

"I-I woke up and you weren't there…" Frankie murmurs quietly.

"I said I'd never leave you, kid- I meant that," Sans replies gently.

Frankie nods in response, calming down entirely.

"Why don't you get yourself some cereal, okay? I'm finishin' up your paperwork for school."

"oh."

"You nervous, kiddo?"

"A little…"

Sans kneels down so he's at eye level with the smaller skeleton, placing a hand on his shoulder,

"You'll do great, kid. And Frisk'll be there too, so you can hang out with them."

Frankie perks up a little,

"So I'll be in the same class as them?"

Sans' nonexistent eyebrows furrow. _Will he?_

"I'm sure we can work somethin' out."

Frankie seems content with this answer as he dashes off to the pantry for the cereal. While Sans sips at his coffee and finishes the paperwork. _Alright. Last thing._ At the bottom of the page was a line for a signature. " _Parent Signature"..._ Was that was he was? Was he a parent? He shrugs, signing his name on the line.

There was a sudden pressure against his leg, he looks down to see Justice. She chirps happily up at him. Sans chuckles, kneeling down to pet her. Just as she seems to be enjoying herself, she dashes off. _Cats are weird._

Sans stands back up, walking over to the fridge. It was weird to have food again. Of course, food wasn't what he was getting, as he reaches into the fridge for a bottle of ketchup. _Oh, how I missed you… so glad we can finally… ketchup._

It had been awhile since he'd had ketchup, mostly due to the fact that he never went to the store, but he was going to savor this moment. Frankie looks over at Sans, who had just sat across from him at the table,

"Ketchup?"

"Yup."

Sans doesn't break eye contact with Frankie as he takes a swig of the ketchup. Frankie laughs.

"That's weird."

"I don't think you're allowed to say that until you've tried some. _Mayo_ -be later, you can, if you can _mustard_ up the courage." Sans challenges, taking another drink.

Frankie laughs at his puns,

"Well, at least _you_ seem to _relish_ it."

Sans looks over at Frankie in surprise. A whole new emotion washes over Sans. What was that? _Pride. It's pride._ The older skeleton chuckles,

"Nice one, kiddo."

* * *

"Well, Frankie, I just finished the paperwork." Sans said as Frankie finished his last bite of cereal. "What do you say we go walk down to the school to turn it in?"

"Umm…" Frankie stared down at his bowl with a frown. He was frightened, a little, but he knew that at some point he'd have to see the school. Seeing it with Sans seemed a lot better than seeing it alone. "Al...alright." He whispered. Sans frowned, quickly turning to look over at Frankie.

"Something wrong?" He asked.

"Just… I don't know. It's been a long time since I've been to school, Sans…."

"It's gonna be alright, kiddo. I'll be there this time and maybe you'll get a little tour so you can see what it's like." Sans frowned. "It's gonna be fine."

"I know." Frankie gave Sans a smile. "As long as you're with me Sans I know it'll be fine."

"Alright." Sans chuckled. "Why don't you go rinse out your bowl and we'll head out?" Frankie climbed down from his seat at the table and carried his bowl into the kitchen. He stared at the sink for a few minutes, trying to sort through his thoughts before he actually began slowly working on his chore. _Last time I had any schooling was when mom and dad were still alive._ That was a few months ago. _Mom and Dad…_ He had used to talk to his parents all the time. He felt like they were somewhere, watching over him. It had been quite a while since he had. He still had nightmares, he still worried, and was nervous… but… he hadn't really been sad or angry- not in the way he had been the months before Sans found him. He had been happy. He had made new friends, and… now Sans was taking care of him. Maybe… maybe the way to heal a broken heart was time and…

"Frankie?" He looked up to see Sans standing in the entry to the kitchen.

"Yeah?" Frankie sighed.

"I know you don't want to go, but it's going to be okay-"

"Sans." Frankie said. "I just…" He looked down again at the bowl he held in his hands, above the sink. And thought about how his parents were slipping from his mind. Just like this bowl covered in soap could so easily fall… He couldn't remember his father's laugh, and he could hardly see his mother's smile. The bowl slipped from his hands and clattered at the bottom of the sink. The faucet turned off. Frankie turned to see Sans looking down at him with worry.

"What's bothering you, kid?" He whispered. Frankie felt tears threatening to fall. Sans knelt down in front of him and pulled him into a hug. "Is it about school?" Frankie slowly shook his head. "Let's go sit down and talk." Sans carried Frankie to the old orange couch and set him down on one end. The older skeleton sat on the other, scooting Justice out of the way to do so. The cat gave Sans a glare, and the curled up behind Frankie's shoulder on the arm of the couch. "What's wrong, Frankie?" Sans said, gently patting Frankie's kneecap. "You can tell me anything." Frankie looked away, towards the window that faced the front walkway. It was snowing again, lightly. The sun was hidden behind gray clouds.

"I can't remember my parents." He whispered. Thinking about it made tears fill his eyes again. "I mean… I remember them, but… I can't. They're… going away."

"Hey…" Sans reached out and turned Frankie's chin so the little boy was looking straight at him. "You never forget someone. Sure, you might forget the way they tilt their head when they ask a question, or the way the smell or felt, but you'll never truly forget them. They'll always be in your heart."

 _Sans is right._ Frankie thought. _I loved my mom and dad, I'll never forget them. And it is time to let them be at peace._ Even though he'd felt this way for a little while, he knew his parents' death would still plague him in his dreams.

"Something's still wrong?" Sans asked gently.

"I… My nightmares, Sans." Frankie said. "They… no matter what I do they won't go away. It's because… it's because of mom and dad."

"Why?" Sans asked. Frankie took a deep breath. _How am I supposed to tell Sans about this?_ His bones were trembling as he looked up at the skeleton who had taken him in and became his friend.

"My mom and dad, they worked really hard, but they didn't want me to go to a human school. Not until things were better." He said. "They taught me at home. I had to read lots of books and work on problems on my own. One day I decided I wanted to work in the park down the street. I knew other monster kids who played there and I thought this older kid could help me with some of my math homework. I… I wasn't sure how long I'd be so I left a note for when my parents got b-back from work. I was g-gone for… for a long time. I did my homework at the park and then I played with the other kids for a few hours. When I w-was going… when I started going…" He paused, trying to wipe away the tears that were beginning to fall. "It was… it was already getting dark. I went up to our apartment. And…" A shudder ran through him at the thought, tears were falling freely now, "The door… the door was open. W-when I went in… they were gone… they were…"

"Frankie…" Sans whispered.

"They…. they…" Now he couldn't hold back the sobs. His breath came in shuddering gasps as he tried to explain, "They were d-dead. The- the- the… The anti-monster people… they killed them and destroyed ever-everything in the a-apartment. That's why… that's why, Sans, I keep- keep having n-nightmares." He paused to take in another gasping breath, "B-because I'm so afraid!" He wailed, "I'm so afraid that- that if I l-leave, if I go away for a little while, everyone I l-love will be gone when I c-come back!" He burst into tears again, but didn't look away from Sans. The older skeleton looked shocked, but also there was something else… recognition? Whatever it was, Frankie saw that Sans understood completely. He didn't even say a word, he just pulled Frankie into his arms, wrapping him in a warm hug.

"I am never going to leave you, Frankie, I swear." He whispered. He tightened his grip, as Frankie sobbed into his shoulder. "I love you, kiddo." They sat there on the couch, with Justice staring at them contentedly, until Frankie's sobs had calmed to hiccups.

"I love you too, Sans." He murmured, his face still buried in Sans' sweatshirt.

* * *

Frankie was thankful when Sans called Toriel instead of deciding to continue with their plans to go to school. The older skeleton, as he spoke on the phone, kept glancing back at Frankie with worry. Frankie sat on his bed fiddling around with his rubics cube and Sir Barkley for a little while. Then he got bored and slowly made his way out to the living room again. Sans had sort of half-cleaned up the living room and kitchen, and then collapsed on the old orange sofa to watch TV. But Frankie found him fast asleep. The little skeleton smiled. _Poor Sans. Looks like the coffee didn't do such a good job._ A while ago Sans had mentioned he got nightmares too. Maybe he wasn't sleeping well.

"Don't worry, Sans." Frankie said. "I'll protect you from the bad dreams! Just like you protected me!" Frankie returned to his room and pulled the extra quilt off of his bed. He dragged it behind him, Justice chasing the end as he walked. When he reached the old couch again, he pulled it over Sans, who stirred but didn't wake. When the deed was done, Frankie climbed under the covers and leaned against Sans, wrapping his little arms around Sans' big one. Sans shifted a little, but still remained asleep. Frankie watched commercials on the TV speed by, and all the while Sans didn't wake. "I won't let the bad dreams get you, Sans. They'll be too scared of me. I'm awake, and see I'm holding on to your arm so the dreams don't dare come any closer!" There was suddenly a knock on the door. "Oh." Frankie pulled himself out of the covers, making sure Sans was still safe and soundly underneath.

Frankie decided to check the window first. He didn't want to open the door to a stranger, not without Sans awake. What he saw outside made him smile- a little cranberry red car. _Toriel!_ He opened the door to reveal that it was indeed Toriel with Frisk.

"Frisk! Toriel! You have to be quiet! Sans fell asleep."

"Oh!" Toriel chuckled. "We'll be quiet!" She leaned in and whispered, "He's quite the _lazybones_ , don't you think?" Frankie giggled.

"I heard that!" Sans shouted from the livingroom. Frankie and Frisk both laughed this time, and together with Toriel they made their way into the living room. Sans was still sitting on the couch with the quilt spread out on top of him, but in only the few moments that Frankie had been gone, Justice had spread herself across Sans' lap. Frisk immediately hurried over to the cat, pulling the poor feline into a huge hug. Justice was not pleased. "What are you two doing here?" Sans asked.

"It's our lunch break." Toriel replied. "We figured we might as well come and pick up Frankie's paperwork." Justice was struggling to get free of Frisk's grasp.

"Alright." Sans pulled himself up from the couch, tossing his blankets aside.

"Do you wanna see my room?" Frankie asked Frisk. Frisk nodded quickly, dropping Justice, who quickly slid under the sofa out of sight. Frankie happily led Frisk to his little room. He showed Frisk his things, and especially his new stuffed animal Sir Barkley.

 _He's cool. I like his name._ Frisk signed. Frankie nodded with a grin.

"Sans liked it too."

 _So SANS is signing you up for school?_ Frisk asked.

"Yeah! Do you think we'll be in the same class?" Frankie said excitedly.

 _I don't know._ Frisk replied. They looked thoughtful for a moment. _You're not ever going to leave SANS, are you?_

"No." Frankie replied. "I love Sans."

 _Good._ Frisk nodded. _I would be sad if you left, FRANKIE. You're my best friend._

"You're my best friend too." Frankie grinned.

 _You know… when I came up with everyone from the Underground I stayed with Toriel._

"Yeah?" Frankie asked.

 _Toriel adopted me. Do you think Sans will ever adopt you?_ Sans? His Dad?! Frankie frowned. He'd never thought of it. _Dad…_ He thought, trying to picture Sans' face with the name. _No… That's just weird._ He still saw his dad's face with that name. Sans was a friend, not his dad.

"I don't think so. It's weird."

 _I am just glad you are staying._ Frisk said.

"Should we go see what Sans and Toriel are doing?" Frankie asked.

 _Sure!_ Frisk and Frankie made their way back into the living room where Toriel and Sans were sitting on the couch talking about something. Toriel seemed excited. Sans seemed… pretty serious.

"You can come by with Frankie anytime to learn more about your duties, and meanwhile Frankie could get a tour of the school!" Toriel smiled.

 _What are you talking about?_ Frisk asked.

"I… guess I got a job now." Sans frowned, as if he wasn't sure exactly what just happened.

"You'll be working at my school?!" Frankie gasped.

"He is."

 _Sans… has a job?_ Frisk frowned.

"What are you talking about kid, in the time you've known me I've had plenty of jobs." Sans chuckled.

 _My mistake. Sans has a_ _ **real**_ _job?_

"Ouch. Geez, kid." Sans groaned. Frisk offered Sans an angelic smile.

 _It'll make more money than fried snow._ They signed. Frankie had no idea what they were talking about, but it was funny anyways.

"I guess you're right. I'll have to make you my business partner." Sans said.

 _You should make Frankie your business partner._ Frisk signed.

"You think so? What do you say, kiddo?"

"Well… I might be a good banker, like in Monopoly."

"Sure-"

"But… I would probably lose _interest._ " Sans blinked. Toriel laughed out loud. Frisk groaned. Sans grinned.

"Frankie, I've gotta admit. You've left me _pun-founded._ "

* * *

As soon as Frisk and Toriel left, Sans let out a sigh. He hadn't had a job for some time, and he hardly felt ready for the responsibility. _Janitor, huh? Well, I can give it a shot._

While Frisk and Frankie were in the other room, Toriel had told Sans about her school's need for a new janitor, since the old one had retired the previous week. As soon as she offered it to him he figured _why not?_ He needed a job anyways,in order to support Frankie. So he'd accepted. He knew the basic duties of a janitor. _Cleaning._ But he wasn't sure about everything he'd be expected to do. _Oh well. I can clean._ He almost laughed a little at his own thought, thinking of his room. _Frankie_ was probably better at cleaning than he was.

 _But this is for the kid._ Sans thought. He watched quietly as Frankie played on the floor with Justice and Sir Barkley. The former had come out from hiding once Frisk left, and Frankie had found a string to drag across the floor for the cat to chase. Sans found himself content to just observe the child. Something still stirred within him. He was proud of Frankie, and that feeling remained. It felt so strange, and different.

 _What is it about this kid?_ Sans frowned. What was it that made him turn back on his own principle to not get attached?

"Sans?" Frankie looked up. Sans was snapped back to the present.

"Yup?"

"Justice has gotten bigger."

"Yeah, that means she's healthy." Sans replied. "She was pretty thin when we first got her, huh?"

"I'm glad she's not sick anymore! Now she can be happy!" Frankie smiled, he pulled the cat into his tight embrace. The cat's eyes widened as it struggled in vain to escape. Sans chuckled again.

 _What does it matter? The cat's just gonna be out on the streets again soon. And we'll all be back underground. Far away from helping it, and far away from helping ourselves. Repeating the same lines, recalibrating the same puzzles… over and over again in an endless circle._ _ **Shut up!**_

This was why. That was why he needed Frankie. Frankie was an anchor. _I have to do this. I have to shut out my thoughts, kill my mind, in order to stay sane. In order to help him. In order to be here for him and with him when he needs me._

"Sans, do you wanna play monopolop with me?" Frankie asked.

"Monopoly?" Sans grinned. He loved this kid. _Dammit._ That was one thing that he couldn't change. Just like he loved Papyrus. He loved his friends. He loved _this kid_. _Dammit Sans._ "Well, you better prepare yourself for a bad time, kiddo." Sans said jokingly. Frankie turned around with a shake of his head.

" _You_ should prepare yourself." He said.

"Why's that?" Sans asked as he stood up from the couch.

"Because you're gonna be _dice-_ appointed." _Ohmygod._ Sans grinned.

* * *

 **REVIEWS FOR CHAPTER NINE:**

 **Shadefeather682:** Riley, CALL THE FREAKNG COPS! Also, go and tell your new monster friends what going on. Just do something that isnt avoiding them! THAT WILL ONLY END BADLY!

 _Yes. Very, very true. We shall see what comes next... NYEHEHEHEH! *secrets, secrets hush hush hush*_

 **Starbee24:** Riley need to realize that anyone who messes Sans and his family is gonna have a bad time. And how much do we wanna bet that these red X wackos are the same ones that killed Frankie's family

 _Mmm... bad time... definitely. *secretsssss* ;)_

 **GenuineGreenTea:** I think this fanfic is incredibly well written!

 _Thank you! I'm glad you like it!_

 **Thank you all so much for the reviews! See you again for chapter eleven!**


	11. Chapter 11: First Day

Sans wakes up abruptly, a loud blaring sound startling him out of bed. _What the hell?_ Oh. that's right. Sans has work today. He slams a hand on his alarm clock, hitting snooze. _10 more minutes._ not a minute afterwards, his door slams open, revealing Frankie, an eager look on his face.

"Sans! It's time for school! And work!" The little skeleton shouts, a giant grin on his face. Sans groans. Frankie walks over to the tired skeleton, shaking him,

"C'mooooon…. we gotta go!" Sans sits up, wiping sleep away from his eyes. The clock reads 7:00AM. Sans lets out a long yawn, chuckling,

"A'ight… i'm up. Go get yourself some breakfast, kiddo…" Frankie dashes off, startling Justice as he runs past. Sans is about to put on his slippers, when he realizes he actually has to wear sensible clothes. _Great._ He fumbles through his drawers, finding a T-shirt without ketchup stains and a pair of pants. He shrugs, _sensible enough, right?_

Sans makes his way down the hallway, letting out another yawn as he shuffles into the kitchen. Frankie was making himself a bowl of cereal. Sans shrugged off breakfast, like he usually does, going straight for his cup of coffee, which he eagerly brewed.

"Ready for your first day of school, kiddo?" Frankie nods,

"Yup! Are you gonna take me to see my teacher?"

"Sure. And then I gotta get to work, alright? I'm sure I'll see you sometimes durin' the day."

Frankie grins, finishing off his cereal. Before long, the two skeletons were out the door and headed for the school. They had to walk, since Sans didn't have a car. _One day, I'll just… teleport us. But not now. Wouldn't want to freak Frankie out…_ They saunter along the sidewalk, occasionally chatting. The school itself was a 20-minute walk, although it would have been instantaneous, had he used his magic. _Another time._

Sans looked at the sign out front. "Toriel's School for Monsters". another sign was posted directly below it, "Humans welcome!". Frankie races to the door, excited for his first day.

"Do you think I'll be in Frisk's class? I hope I am!" Sans shrugs,

"Dunno. We'll see in a second."

The two step inside, to be greeted by Toriel.

"Ah! Hello, Franklin! Hello, Sans!"

"Heya, Tori" Sans smiles, waving to her. Frankie bounces excitedly beside him,

"Am I in Frisk's class?!"

Toriel chuckles, but looks down at the small skeleton sympathetically,

"I am afraid I had to put you in Miss Easton's class! Terribly sorry, Franklin! But Frisk's class is already full!"

Frankie frowns, and stops bouncing,

"Oh." Sans lightly elbows him,

"Hey- It's alright, kiddo. You'll make friends."

Frankie nods, but doesn't say anything as Toriel leads them through the school, showing them various different points of interest like the office, teacher's lounge, and cafeteria. Finally, they arrive at Frankie's new classroom. Frankie looks reluctant to go in.

"You'll be alright, kid. I'm sure you'll find a new friend to hang out with, and b'sides, at lunch- you can hang with Frisk, alright?" Sans smiles, placing a hand on Frankie's shoulder.

"Yeah! that sounds great! I'll make loads of new friends!" Frankie's eyes light up as the enthusiasm he had returns. Sans chuckles, opening the door for Frankie. He walks in, obviously nervous as everyone's eyes immediately glance over to him. There were mostly monsters, with the exception of a few humans, who were intermingled with them.

"H-Hi!" Frankie says.

"Oh! You must be our new student!" The teacher, Miss Easton, calls. She was, oddly enough, human as well. But she seemed kind, and Sans assumed that she was, since Toriel hired her. Frankie glanced back at Sans, who just nodded, standing in the doorframe, with a wide smile on his face.

"My name's Frankie!"

"Very nice to meet you! Everyone say hello to Frankie!"

A chorus of 'hello Frankie' rang through the classroom. With one last glance at Sans, Frankie heads to the back to find an available seat, right next to one of the humans. _He'll do great._ Sans smiles as he waves goodbye, closing the door behind him.

"Right then! Now that Frankie is settled in, It is time to introduce you to _your_ job!" Toriel clasps her hands together, smiling. Sans nods and follows her to a closet labeled 'Utility'.

"Here's where you'll be working, the previous Janitor left instructions." Toriel hands Sans a stack of papers, "Here you are! There's not much to be done, but we do need to keep this school clean! You are to mop after school every Tuesday and Thursday… and, of course, everyday after lunch in the cafeteria! It can get rather messy!"

Sans nods, _Alright. First job on the surface. I have to do this._ Sans listens to Tori, taking in every word.

"And lastly, we have your uniform!" Toriel opens the closet, pulling off a blue uniform from a nearby shelf. She thrusts it into Sans' hands,

"Here you are, Dear! Just call me if you need anything! I must attend to the office for now."

"Alright. See ya, and thanks, Tori. For the job." Toriel nods, smiling.

"It is no problem, Sans!" The tall goat woman walks off, and Sans is left to his job. _Wow! Look at that! You've finally accomplished something!_ Not again. _Too bad it doesn't matter._ _ **I don't need this right now.**_ _Oh, but you do, Sans! What's gonna happen when you wake up tomorrow and everything's gone? Will you be sad, will you cry? Will i t?_ Sans doesn't reply to the voice, that seems like the best course of action, anyways. _You can't ignore me, Sans. I'll always be that little voice in the back of your head- telling you what you're doing is wrong. Telling you everything you're doing is only gonna make it hurt worse. I hope you're happy now, because when you wake up in Snowdin- I hope the pai s._ _ **SHUT UP.**_

The voice ceases. Sans sighs, _All i need to do… is stay focused. Get to work._

* * *

Frankie was already enjoying school. His teacher, Miss Easton, was very nice. So far it seemed like he was joining his grade at just the right time. Though, Miss Easton did have to help remind him of things he had forgotten. Everyone in his class was nice. He had to work with a classmate, a lizard like little girl who reminded him of Alphys, on a project that afternoon for Literature. They were reading Charlotte's Web. It was lucky for him that he joined when he did, because they were just starting the Charlotte's Web unit. Their job was to work with a partner to make a big board that would tell the story of Charlotte's Web. As they read the story they would add to the board. Today they were working on the decorative borders.

The girl Frankie was working with was named Ella. She was pretty funny, and rather outgoing. She had lots of great ideas, and when Frankie told her his she never dismissed them. Not one! She was always eager to listen.

"How old are you, Ella?" Frankie asked.

"Me?" Ella looked up proudly, "I'm eight and a half! My birthday's in five months!" She was gluing some decorative stars onto their display board. "What about you?"

"I'm nine. I just turned nine last month."

"Cool! What do you think the board needs? It needs… something else…"

"Maybe…" Frankie looked over at the art supplies with a frown. "Maybe some… glitter glue!" Frankie pulled out two bottles of glitter glue, one red and one blue.

"Yes!" Ella gasped. "You're awesome Frankie. Let's put this around the stars."

Before Frankie knew it, it was lunch time.

"Alright, boys and girls." Miss Easton smiled happily. "It's time to put our books away and head over to the cafeteria." Frankie was excited to see Frisk at last. Frisk would always be his best friend.

"Just wait, Ella, you can meet my bestest friend Frisk. They're super cool, and-"

"Your best friend is _Frisk?!_ " Ella looked amazed.

"Yeah. You know them?"

"Everyone knows Frisk! Frisk is Miss Toriel's kid. Frisk is nice to everyone! That's so _cool_ you're friends with them!" Ella and Frankie trotted out of the classroom, following Miss Easton. Frankie was overjoyed to find Sans out in the hallway waiting for him. He didn't hesitate to run into the older skeleton's arms.

"SANS!"

"Heya, kiddo. How's your first day of school going?" Sans was wearing a weird blue uniform and next to him he towed a cart of cleaning supplies.

"AWESOME! I love my teacher, Miss Easton, she's so nice, and… I made a friend!" Ella was still waiting behind Frankie and he turned to introduce her to Sans. "This is Ella! She's my project partner."

"Heya." Sans nodded.

"Hi, Frankie's Dad!" San's eyes widened.

"Oh, uh…" But Frankie was too excited to correct his new friend.

"We're reading Charlotte's Web, and Ella and I are making a story board for it."

"Cool, Frankie!"

"How's work?" Frankie asked.

"It's pretty first _class._ In terms of what I need to be doing, I'd say things have been made pretty _clear._ This new outfit's kind of _neat_ , too. Don't you think?" Ella was laughing pretty hard behind Frankie. The little skeleton giggled.

"You better be careful, Sans." Frankie said with a grin, "Or you might break your _funnybone."_ Sans choked.

"Kiddo, you keep going with these and you'll end up being some sort of pun master."

"Good!" Frankie grinned, giving Sans another big hug. "I want to be just like you when I grow up, Sans !"

"Well, you both better head over to the cafeteria for lunch. Here, Frankie," Sans dug into his pocket and pulled out two crumpled dollar bills. "For your lunch."

"Thanks, Sans."

Frankie eagerly followed Ella to the cafeteria. She was more than happy to show him how to get there. When they reached the cafeteria Frankie was excited to find Frisk waiting for him at the doors.

 _FRANKIE!_ Frisk signed excitedly. _How is your first day of school so far?_

"Good! My teacher's pretty nice, and… this is Ella! She's my project partner."

"Hey, Frisk!" Ella grinned. "It's nice to meet you!"

 _Nice to meet you too, ELLA. Come on in, both of you. Let's get our food._ Somehow, in the chaos of the cafeteria, Frankie got separated from his friends while they were getting lunch and dessert. Frankie had just set his food down to try and find Frisk and Ella again when he was approached by a much taller human boy.

"Lookie, look!" The boy snarled. "A new Freak." Frankie was shocked that someone here could use such a derogatory term. Everyone here was so nice, and this kid….? "So, new freak, what part of your lunch were you planning on _sharing with me_." Frankie was about to retort when Frisk appeared at his shoulder.

 _Leave him alone, Brendan._ Frisk signed rapidly. _Or you'll have a lot more to worry about than your eternally sinking grades._

"Frisk." Brendan snarled. "Whatever." He sulked off.

"Are you alright, Frankie?" Ella asked. Frankie grabbed his food and nodded.

"Yeah." He said.

 _That was Brendan._ Frisk signed. _He's… annoying. But he's too cowardly to stand up to other humans. Let's go eat._

* * *

The rest of the day sped by. Frankie finished his projects in his class, and received a few pages of homework to do. He said goodbye to Ella, who's mom had come to pick her up. He was walking down the halls looking for Sans and thinking ' _Gosh, I hope Sans can help me with some of this homework. It looks tough.'_ When he saw Brendan.

The older boy was leaning over a little monster kid, pushing the poor thing around. The child was defenseless, and crying.

"What's this? Your homework? Oops!" Brendan tore the poor kid's homework in half. Something was building up inside Frankie. Rage. He dropped his bag and put himself in between Brendan and the poor kid.

"L-leave him alone!" Frankie gasped. Brendan looked surprised, but then grinned. A terrible look in his eyes.

"This is just perfect." He snarled. "The new kid is a hero. So just! So kind! So STUPID. You, freak, are gonna regret the day you laid eyes on me." Brendan raised his hand to strike, and Frankie shied away from it in terror when someone's voice,

"Brendan!" Toriel stood above the two of them in horror. "What have we said about this?! Come with me, this instant. I'm going to have to call your mother." Toriel turned to head down towards her office, but before Brendan followed her he grabbed Frankie by his red scarf.

"You're _dead,_ scum! _DEAD!"_

"Hey, kiddo!" Sans appeared around the corner.

"How was your first day of school?"

"Great!"

"I hope you don't mind, I do have to stay and finish cleaning up. Frisk and Toriel have to stay too, so you shouldn't be _bone-some_."

"Stop!" Frankie giggled. Sans grinned at his laugh.

"You'll find Frisk in the teacher's lounge."

"Thanks, Sans." Frankie waved as he hurried in the direction of the lounge.

* * *

 **REVIEWS FOR CHAPTER TEN:**

 **Starbee24:** Is Justice preggers?

 _Mmmmmm... Maayyyyyyybeeeeee?_

 **Branchwing:** Well, Frankie is going to school now. I hope he will be alright there.

 _He gonna be fine... sort of... NYEH HEH HEH!_

 **Frankie:** Saaaaaans?Are you there?I just found this story on the interweb thing about us...they even mentioned Justice and Sir Barkley and Monopolop!

 _ **I'm right here, kiddo.**_ _Yeah! My cousin is using Archive of our Own to post this, since we're writing it together. So it definitely is the same exact story! :D_

 _Also, I'm totally loving the name you chose. 3_

 **GenuineGreenTea:** I love how Sans has raised Frankie so far! The relationship between the two is so great and really heartwarming

 _Awwww! Yes! It is our favorite as well. :) Dad!Sans always! 3_

 **Thank you! Thank you! We love reviews and we are so glad to hear from you! It's always an encouragement. Stay tuned for the next chapter, coming soon! :)**

 **-mariahills-capsicle**


	12. Chapter 12: Hello Again

Frankie couldn't sleep. He hugged Sir Barkley with all his might, counted echo flowers, sang some lullabies, and stroked Justice for sometime, but sleep never came. He even turned out his light and lay in the darkness. He watched snow fall outside his window, and he stared at his hand, counting each bone in his fingers and palms. Despite the last few days being so fun (school so far was fantastic, he and Frisk and Ella has become good friends, and all of Frankie's homework was getting done and turned in on time), he was a little afraid that if he fell asleep he'd slip into some terrible nightmare. And as hard as he tried to dismiss the thought, he couldn't. _And tomorrow I have school again._ He would be exhausted tomorrow and he didn't want to fall asleep during class! He groaned, gripping Sir Barkley tighter, and kicking his legs in frustration. Justice jumped up, a little shocked at Frankie's sudden movement.

"Sorry, kitty." Frankie apologized by pulling the poor cat into his lap and hugging her tightly. He sighed, after a few moments, and let her go. The animal dashed out of the room, probably to hide under the sofa. Frankie fell back onto his pillow, watched the snow for a few more minutes and then pulled himself out of bed. He carefully made his way out into the hall, his toes tapping on the wood floor. He looked down towards the living room and kitchen and then turned the other way to where Sans' room was. Sans' door was slightly ajar. This was something Frankie knew the older skeleton had only begun doing after Frankie came. It was so he could hear when Frankie was having a nightmare. The little boy was extremely grateful for this. Frankie, clutching Sir Barkley, pushed the door gently with one hand.

The hinges squeaked softly, but Sans didn't seem to stir. Frankie stepped over a pile of socks, and side-stepped a tipped over trash can before coming to San's double bed. The Skeleton was sleeping on his side. Frankie could make out the outline of his body underneath a thick quilt. Poor Sans always fell asleep so fast after the hard work he did during the days at school. At least this kept the nightmares away.

"Sans?" Frankie whispered softly, he leaned forward and gently shook the skeleton. Sans barely moved, but answered as if he were fully awake.

"Yup?"

"I can't sleep." There was a pause, and then Sans rolled over slowly with a sigh so that he was staring up at the ceiling.

"Climb in, kiddo." Frankie crawled over Sans' legs, and pulled himself under the quilt, setting Sir Barkley just above his head on the second pillow on Sans' bed. They lay there in silence for a minute and then Sans murmured, "Bad dreams?"

"No." Frankie shook his head. "I just can't sleep."

"Me neither." Sans replied with a shrug. "But… who needs sleep anyways? There's a _nap_ for that now."

"Saaaannnsss." Frankie giggled.

"C'mere, kiddo." Sans pulled Frankie into a hug. "You know what?"

"What?"

"I'm glad you fell asleep on my sofa."

"I'm glad I did too." Frankie replied.

"And I'm glad I found you when you ran away."

"Me too." Frankie nodded, hugging Sans tightly. They lay there for a moment longer before Frankie whispered with a grin, "Do you wanna hear a joke, Sans?"

"Me? A Joke? Never." Sans replied.

"Saaaaannnsss."

"Okay, if you insist."

"What do you call a sleeping bull?"

"I dunno. What?"

"A bull _dozer_."

"I am over the _moooooo_ -n because of that pun." Sans said. Frankie giggled. "You'll have to tell that one to Papyrus."

"Papyrus doesn't like puns." Frankie said.

"I know." Sans nodded. "It's hilarious."

"We should tell him while we're playing monopolop." Frankie said. Sans chuckles.

"I can hear him now." And then Sans proceeds to imitate his brother, making Frankie fall into a fit of laughter. "'SaANS! yOU HAVE waY TOo MAaNY HOTELS ON THIS PROPERTY. SaNS! IT'S RIDICULOUS!' 'You wanna hear a joke, Paps?' 'SaNS, NO.' 'What do you call a sleeping bull?' 'SANS. NO!' 'A bull _dozer._ ' 'SANS! FOR THE LOVE OF- JUST-'" Frankie could hardly breath he was laughing so hard.

"Jeez, kiddo, that one really hit your funnybone, huh?" Frankie nodded with a grin.

"You do the best impression of Papyrus ever."

"Papyrus is the best, isn't he?" Sans said.

"Besides you, Sans. To me, you're the best." Sans didn't answer for a minute, but Frankie didn't mind, he was already beginning to feel tired again.

"You know what, Frankie?"

"Hmm?"

"I love you, kiddo."

* * *

School was pretty uneventful the next day. Not boring, but not ridiculously exciting. Frankie and Ella worked on their Charlotte's web board. With silver glitter glue they drew out a web reading 'Some Pig'. Lunch and all recesses, much to Frankie's relief, were also uneventful. After standing up to Brendan the other day, Frankie had been afraid that the older boy would at some point get his revenge. But fortunately, Frankie was with Frisk most of the time, and so the bully kept his distance. He really did seem afraid and intimidated by Frisk.

At the end of the day, Frisk and Frankie once again found themselves waiting on the empty playground for Toriel and Sans to finish up their extra work. Sans had to finish cleaning the bathrooms, and Toriel had some extra paperwork.

 _Ella's pretty cool._ Frisk said.

"Yeah! But, haven't you made lots of friends here? Everyone likes you. Except Brendan."

 _Well… I don't know. I haven't really connected with anyone like I did with everyone else. You know, Toriel, Papyrus, Sans…. I guess… Being a celebrity isn't want it's cut out to be. Not that I'm saying I'm a celebrity. Just, everyone knows me, but they only know what they see or hear. They don't try to know me better. You know? Now… Mettaton… He's a celebrity._

"Yeah! I've seen Mettaton on TV. He's super cool."

 _Maybe sometime he can come and visit and you can meet him._

" _You know METTATON?!"_ Frankie gasped.

 _Yeah. I met him Underground._ Frisk replied.

"That's so cool!"

 _He's pretty neat. But he's very, very dramatic._

"Frisk, Frankie. We're all done!" Toriel called from the door to the school. Frisk and Frankie eagerly hurried into the building to grab their backpacks and get ready to go.

"Heya, kiddo, how was school today?"

"Good!" Frankie nodded.

"Alright. I had an idea while I was putting away my supplies." Sans said. "How would you like to go visit Luis today?"

"Grandpops?! Sure!" Frankie cried.

"Alright! We can head over there right now, just let me get this uniform off."

"Awesome!"

"See you tomorrow, Frankie." Frisk said, giving Frankie a big hug.

"Yeah!"

"Goodbye, Frankie, dear!" Toriel waved. Frankie was left alone in the hallway for only a few minutes before Sans came back, and so they made their way to downtown. Sans couldn't remember where Grandpops' house was, but Frankie recalled where he had been when Luis had found him, so they didn't have to look long before they found the old man sitting on the steps that led up to his house. Grandpops looked overjoyed to see Frankie and Sans again.

"Franklin!" He called. "Look at that! I was almost afraid I wouldn't see you again!"

"Grandpops!" Frankie grinned. He gave the old man a hug. "You didn't think I would forget about visiting?!"

"'Course not! Hello!" Grandpops addressed Sans. "It's good to see you again too. Sans, wasn't it?"

"Yup." Sans nodded. "How are you doing? I hope we aren't interrupting anything."

"Of course not! Come on inside." Grandpops stood, using his cane as support. He led them into his little living room. Frankie and Sans were offered the couch to sit at, and Grandpops sat in the old rocking chair by the fireplace. Grandpops' house was very small, and quaint. He had old photographs of his family here and there. Above the fireplace was what appeared to be a little shrine. A black and white photo of a beautiful woman with dark hair and a mysterious smile was set right at the center. On either side were two vases of red roses. _That must be Grandpops' wife, Eleanor._ Frankie remembered the story Grandpops told him about how Eleanor loved red roses. He wondered what happened to Eleanor.

"How are you two doing?" Grandpops asked.

"I'm going to school again now, Grandpops!" Frankie exclaimed excitedly.

"That sounds wonderful!" Grandpops smiled. "How is it?"

"Well, we're learning lots of stuff, and I've made a new friend in my class! She's really nice. She's my project partner! And Sans bought me a stuffed puppy. I called him Sir Barkley Bones."

"Sir Barkley." Grandpops laughed. "That's a very good name, kiddo!"

"And we have a cat now."

"A cat?!" Grandpops nodded. "I was always more of a dog person myself, but my Elli loved cats. What'd you call it?"

"Justice." Sans replied.

"Justice. What an interesting name…" Grandpops murmured. "How would you two like some tea?!"

"Tea?" Frankie frowned.

"Yes! I've got some good peppermint."

"Sure." Sans nodded. "Do you want me to help you with-"

"Nonsense! You two relax." Grandpops prepared the tea while Frankie told him all about the different things they'd been doing at school. He told him about how Sans got a job at the school.

"I get to see Sans even when I'm at school, Grandpops!" Frankie exclaimed as Luis brought out the tea cups and put and set them on the coffee table along with the sugar and milk. "And… I'm really happy about that because…. I would miss Sans a lot if I didn't see him all day."

"I don't think I'd make it without you, kiddo," Sans smiled, "Though, I could _chai_." Grandpops served them their tea, and they sat chatting happily for a long time while drinking it. After a while Grandpops smiled.

"I'm glad you came, Frankie, because I have something to give you."

"You do?!" Frankie was surprised, but also excited. What sort of thing would Grandpops be giving him?

"You stay right there, I'll be right back." Grandpops disappeared down the hallway.

"What do you think he's got for me?" Frankie asked Sans.

"I don't have the slightest _brew_."

"Sans." Frankie groaned.

"That bad, huh?"

"Here we are." Grandpops returned to the living room holding a little box tied up with blue ribbons. "I always make a little something for anyone who stays in my house before they move on to be with their new family. You were only with me for one night, Frankie, but I couldn't imagine breaking tradition and not giving you a little present." Grandpops set the box in Frankie's lap. "Go ahead and open it." Frankie waited until Grandpops was sitting back down in his rocking chair before he began untying the ribbons. Sans had to help with some of the knots, but soon enough the box was free and Frankie was able to open it. Inside was fairly large wooden train! Frankie pulled it out quickly, in awe of it almost instantly.

"You made this?!" He spun one of the six wheels excitedly.

"Yup. Just for you." Grandpops nodded. "That used to be my trade, years ago. I was a carpenter. I worked with wood."

"It's soooo cool! Thank you so much Grandpops! I'm gonna call it… Mr. Rails."

"Seems like a fitting name for a train, that's for sure." Grandpops replied.

"This is awesome! Thanks, Grandpops!" Frankie spent most of the remaining time at Grandpops house, rolling the train across the coffee table while Grandpops talked to Sans about his family, and his wife Eleanor, about his son and little granddaughter. And Frankie listened. Grandpops told them how he took in children who were living on the street and helped them establish a new life for themselves. He said he did it because of his son, but he didn't say much else about his son. Just that he never saw him, or his granddaughter.

"My son made some mistakes early on in his life. Landed him in a mess of trouble." Was all he said. "My little granddaughter, Lily, she's a couple years younger than you Frankie. I never see her. Christine, that's my daughter-in-law, she had to move in with her mom because of what my boy did. But… I suppose it will all work out in the end. I keep busy by helping kids who need help and by building these little things." Here he gestured to the train with a smile.

When it was a while past dark Sans decided it was necessary for them to leave, and Frankie agreed. He remembered now that he had homework to do before school the next day, and he was beginning to feel their lack of sleep from the night before.

"Thanks for the train, again, Grandpops!" Frankie smiled, hugging the little wooden toy tightly.

"You two come over anytime you'd like!" Grandpops called.

"Oh! Let's exchange phone numbers." Sans said.

"I don't have one of them new cell phones, but I have a home phone. I'll give you that number."

On their way home Sans chuckled, watching Frankie play with the train's wheels. "You sure like that train, huh, kiddo?"

"Yeah! I've never been on a train before, Sans. Do they go very fast?"

"You've never been on a train? We'll have to fix that sometime." Sans nodded, "Yeah, they go pretty fast."

"You mean it! We can actually go on a train sometime?"

"Sure. But tonight we've gotta focus on your homework."

"Oh… you're right." Frankie sighed. Than a grin came to his face again. "If we go on a train, Sans, can Frisk come with?! We could sit by a window and watch all the buildings go by really fast! Like at lightspeed, and we'd see lots of different people, and…."

* * *

It had been a week since Riley had seen her friends, a week since Riley had seen Sans. She had informed the police of the 'Red X' letter and they said they'd look into it. Riley was beginning to suspect they didn't care, because a week later, they'd done nothing to help.

Today, she was going to a part time job interview that a friend of hers mentioned at work. Riley's current job wasn't very supportive, and she'd been thinking of quitting for quite some time. So, she thought she'd take a look around.

It was apparently a library assistant position at a school, which sounded alright. It definitely paid more than her minimum wage job. Riley sighed as she brewed her morning coffee, making the excuse for not going to Spaghetti night had been tough for her.

It physically hurt her to say no to Sans and everyone, but she couldn't take risks, could she? She grabbed a red scarf and matching hat, and was out the door. She managed to get most of the red paint off, but the haunting outline of the red X still remains.

The school was only a 5 minute drive away, so that was pretty convenient. Her heart sank as she read the name of the school, "Toriel's School for Monsters". _Toriel? That's one of Sans' friends. I can't be here._ But something compelled her to go anyways. She pulled into the parking lot, finding a spot.

 _Alright, deep breath, Riley._ She stepped out of the car, holding a stack of papers. These papers mostly consisted of her résumé and information about her past experiences as a library assistant. Riley figured she may as well be thorough.

 _I shouldn't be here._ It wasn't too late, she could turn around and- _no. I can't live in fear. I was stupid to leave my friends- to leave Sans,_ her heart pounded as she reached for the door, pulling it open.

A nice monster lady, who looked like a rabbit, showed Riley the general direction of the library. Riley nodded, thanking her as she walked down the empty halls.

 _Alright. It's just an interview and then I can leave._ At this point, Riley wanted to make a run for the door, thinking of the red X. But she didn't. She did, however, pick up the pace, speed walking down the hall.

She was about to turn the corner, when someone ran directly into her.

* * *

"Crap- I'm so sorry!" Sans gasps, bending over to pick up the papers that had flown from the person he ran into.

"I-it's alright! I shoulda looked where I was going!" She scrambles for papers as well. As soon as Sans had gathered all of the paper, he glances up to look at the woman,

" _Riley?"_ She looks up, surprised.

" _Sans!?"_ There was something in her eyes, was it… Fear? Relief? Horror?

"It's been awhile." Sans says, handing her back the papers.

"Y-yeah! Uhm… How've you been?"

"Oh, y'know. Business is _brooming_." He gestures the the broom he was holding in his left hand. Riley laughs. Oh, how he missed that ridiculous laugh.

"S-same old Sans, huh?" He chuckles,

"Yup- so what're you doin' here?" She shrugs,

"M-my friend told me a-about a job interview for the library h-here and I thought i'd check it out!" Sans nods,

"Cool. Ya gonna join us for Spaghetti Night next Tuesday?" The red scarf around her face blocks her true emotion, but Sans can read her eyes… Sorrow? Fear?

"I…" She trails off, "I really W-want to but…" She's shaking. _Something's wrong._

"Riley… Is there somethin' wrong?"

"I… It's… Can we t-talk? L-later? I… I can't do this- not right now…" Sans nods in understanding.

"'Course. Want me t'walk you to the library?" Riley nods, her eyes to the floor,

"Y-yeah. That'd be great. Thanks, Sans."

Sans sets his broom against the wall, walking beside Riley. The trip to the library was silent, but thankfully, it was only down the hall.

He opens the door for her, and she steps inside, at the front desk of the library is dragon-like monster, his eyes light up as soon as he sees them,

"Heya! Are you here for the interview?" He asks Riley, happiness in his yellow eyes. Riley nods,

"Y-yes, I am!" The scaled monster gets up and offers her a hand, she takes it, shaking.

"The name's Iro!"

"Riley!"

"Nice t'meetcha!" Iro looks over at Sans,

"I don't think we've formally met, you're the janitor, right?" Sans nods,

"The name's Sans." Iro smiles, exposing his sharp white teeth,

"Nice to meet ya!", he turns back to Riley, "now uh- you wanna continue this interview in my office?" Riley nods, turning to Sans,

"U-uh, thanks. For walking me h-here, Sans!"

"No problem. I'll talk to ya later, alright?"

"Y-yeah…"

Sans waves goodbye, leaving the library and heading back to find his broom, lunch time was almost over- and he would be needing it. But what was wrong with Riley? _Something is bothering her…_

Sans shrugs it off, and moves on to finish his job. The lunch room was a disaster, but that's to be expected. It takes about an hour, but once it's clean- he gets to take a break. Riley would be done with her interview by now, so he shoots her a text, sitting at one of the cafeteria tables.

 **Heya.**

 _Hi!_

 **Do u wanna talk?**

 _Could we maybe meet somewhere?_

 **Sure. Got any place in mind?**

 _There's a coffee place right by my apartment, does that work?_

 **How BOLD of u. Sure, sounds great**

 _You and your puns. Alright, are you free tomorrow?_

 **I get off at 4, how's 4:30**

 _Works for me! I guess we could just meet at the bench?_

 **Alright. See ya then.**

 _See ya!_

* * *

 **REVIEWS FOR CHAPTER ELEVEN:**

 **MechaSniper51:** Is this after true pacifist or soulless pacifist?

 _Definitely true pacifist._

 **StarBee24:** if the Brandon kid isn't carful he is gonna end up having a bad time..

 _Oh yes. Definitely: if you mess with Frankie, you mess with Sans._

 **Frankie:** U-Um...That kid is mean...and...um...H-Hi...

 _Yes, he is! But don't worry, Frankie. You're stronger than you think!_

 **I guest as much:** Sounds like Frankie better watch out if he doesn't want to get schooled, but seriously, this is a nice story!

 _Please stop. JK! Thanks so much! I'm glad you like it. :)_

 **Thank you all for the reviews! See you on the next chapter!**


	13. Chapter 13: Pizza and Coffee

The school Library was one of Frankie and Ella's favorite places to go. Ella introduced Frankie to a whole bunch of cool books, including some really neat comics. Today, Ella was showing Frankie a neat comic about an archaeologist who fought mummies and discovered ancient tombs. Frankie happily grabbed the first two comics. Then he looked towards the door in concern. Since Frisk was in the same grade as Ella and him they usually had library time at the same time. So Frankie always looked forward to seeing Frisk at Library time. Today, however, when Frisk's class came in…. Frisk did not.

Frankie was worried.

"Ella, I'm gonna go see if I can find Frisk." He said. He was just looking down each aisle when he turned a corner around a bookshelf and bumped into someone.

"Oh, dear, I'm sorry."

"Toriel!" Frankie sighed with relief.

"Hello, Franklin! How are you?" Toriel smiled.

"I'm alright. I'm looking for Frisk. Do you know where they are?"

"Frisk? I'm sorry, Frankie. Frisk is sick today. They had to stay home with Asgore."

"Oh…." Frankie frowned.

"I'm sure they'll be feeling better soon." Toriel said. "Maybe if they're feeling better by Sunday you can come over to our house to play."

"I'd really like that." Frankie smiled. He was sad Frisk wasn't here, but at least he had Ella. Ella was already checking out her books when he found her again.

"Where's Frisk?" The little girl frowned. Frankie sighed.

"They're sick today."

"Oh! That's too bad! Do you have your books to check out?"

"Yeah." Frankie pulled the comics from his backpack, and checked out the books. After Library time it was time for lunch. Sans and Frankie, for the past week, had faithfully packed lunches. But Today was Pizza day in the cafeteria. Frankie had begged Sans to let him buy one lunch a week, and of course he had to choose pizza day. So today, he pulled out his little card on the way to the cafeteria. Ella was humming happily as they made their way through the double doors. Once they had their food they made their way towards a good table. Frankie was walking proudly with his slice of pizza and his side of apples, and a little carton of milk.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, he tripped on something that had not been there moments before. He fell to his knees, his pizza flying across the floor, his apples scattering under feet and tables, and his milk sloshing out everywhere. He stared down at where his hands fell directly in the midst of the mess. He felt tears threatening to fall.

"Awww look. Is the new freak gonna cry like a baby?" Frankie pulled himself to his feet, lifting his tray. He looked defeatedly down at his pizza and then turned to see Brendan staring at him with a grin.

"C'mon, Frankie!" Ella was at his side in an instant, "You can have some of my lunch. Just ignore him, he's nothing but a bully." Frankie began to clean up his mess, prepared to follow Ella's advice. When something hit him in the back, milk splattered all over his brand new shirt.

"Don't ignore me when I'm talking to you, loser!" Brendan shouted. Frankie looked directly into Brendan's dark eyes with a defiant glare.

"You're not exactly one of the people I'd say deserves to be listened to." He whispered.

"Say that again to my face!" Brendan stood up, a full head taller than Frankie. Frankie looked down at his feet. "That's what I thought."

"Leave him alone." Ella hissed.

"What are you gonna do about it, lizard?"

"I'm a person just like you and so is Frankie." Ella said. "Come on, Frankie, lets go-" Brendan punched Frankie's shoulder blade with all his might and the little skeleton toppled to the floor.

"You're not people." Brendan hissed. "You're _monsters._ " _It's not enough that I had to deal with this in the months after my parents died? I have to deal with it now too?_ Frankie groaned, pulling himself off the floor once again. A teacher on the sidelines finally noticed the commotion and hurried to see what was going on.

"What's happening here?" He said with a frown.

"Frankie fell." Brendan sighed. "He's always tripping over himself." Frankie watched as Brendan mouthed behind the teacher's back ' _Because he's an idiot.'_

"That's not-" Ella began.

"It's true." Frankie said quickly. "Sorry about the mess."

"It's alright, Frankie. Why don't you go get another plate of food. I'll get this mess cleaned up."

"Are you sure? I could help…"

"Go ahead, you've probably got class soon. I'm just an assistant teacher, I won't be missed if I'm away for a few minutes."

"Thanks so much." Ella followed Frankie as he hurried to get more food.

"Why didn't you stand up for yourself and tell that teacher that Brendan was being mean?" She asked.

"He's not worth it." Frankie replied. "Besides, that's what made him do this to me in the first place."

"That's not true. Brendan's mean to all the monsters. It's because his dad's part of the Organization Red X. Or at least, they think he is."

"Red X? Those are the monster haters, right?"

"Yeah." Ella nodded. "Brendan's parents split up just in the past few months because Brendan's mom found out his dad was involved in all that somehow. She's a big monster supporter. That's why she sent Brendan here. So that he could learn we are just like humans. We have feelings too, and we deserve rights!"

"Doesn't really seem to be working so far." Frankie murmured, wiping milk off of his shirt with his napkin.

"No. He's just saying in his own stupid way that he misses his dad. He has problems expressing himself, I think."

"Wow, you got that from him beating up on me?" Frankie asked. Ella grinned.

"Mom says I read people easily."

"You're really smart, Ella. I'm glad we're friends."

"Me too." Ella replied.

Riley paced around her apartment, her heart pounding. She was meeting Sans for coffee in twenty minutes. _It's alright, Riley. Nothing bad is gonna happen and- oh god. What am I doing? Oh that's just BRILLIANT. 'Hmm! I got a death threat telling me not to do this thing! I'd better do the thing!'_ She sighs, falling onto her soft blue couch.

 _No. I'm not succumbing to fear because of a stupid threat._ She stands, clenching her fists. _I'm going._ She makes her way over to the door, pulling up her gray scarf, brushing her orange hair out of her face. The second she was out the door, walking down the hall to the stairs, she felt sick. But she kept going, despite every fiber of her being screaming at her to stop.

Sans wasn't there when she got to the bench, so she sits in wait. It was still a few minutes before he should be-

"Heya." Riley jumps, he's right next to her.

"O-Oh! H-heya, Sans." She looks over at the skeleton in confusion, her heart pounding from the scare he'd just given her. _Strange… I didn't see him walk up._ Riley shrugs it off, shivering a bit. She suddenly remembers the fact that they're sitting in the middle of town square, she gets up hurriedly.

"I-I uh." She clears her throat, pulling up her scarf, "Coffee?" Sans nods, a confused expression on his face, probably something to do with her frantic actions. She begins leading him to the shop, "Clara's coffee". It had been a regular thing for her on weekends. She'd check out a book or two and get herself some tea and just… read. It was really nice. She missed feeling so calm, because at this moment, she couldn't breathe. _Why am I letting a piece of paper dictate what I do?_ She lets out a deep breath, leading Sans over to her usual spot. The skeleton sits across from her, staring intently.

"You uh… wanted to talk?" Sans says.

"Y-Yeah. It's... " She chuckles bitterly, "I-I'm scared, Sans." If he had eyebrows, they would have furrowed in concern.

"Why?" Riley looks around, conscious of being in public with the monster she'd been told never to be seen with again,

"It's... " _God what am I doing here?_ "I got threatened. By anti-monster people. T-they saw m-me with you and…"

"Oh." Riley nods, pulling up her scarf again. Sans' eyes were full of concern, his usual smile in a frown.

"You know I'd never let anything happen to you, Riley. You're my friend." Riley looks over at the skeleton in surprise. _Friend. Huh._ His smile returns, though it doesn't look as wide as it usually is,

"Do you uh- want some coffee?"

Riley shakes her head,

"N-No.. I'm alright." She feels a little more reassured by Sans being there, it was weird. She'd barely met him, and she already trusts him so fully. He still looks concerned, but he nods.

"Didja get the job? At the library?" Sans asked, changing the subject. Riley nods,

"Yeah. H-Have you t-talked to Iro? He's hilarious." Sans raises a nonexistent eyebrow,

"Uh… nope. I guess i'll have to talk to him more often." Sans chuckles, looking a little less concerned. His eyes find her scarf, and she pulls it up again.

"Err… I'm sorry if this is personal or somethin'... but uh… what's with the scarf?" _Oh god, I should have known he would ask._ Riley averts her gaze,

"I… Sans. I-I'll tell you when i'm ready… It's… I'm sorry." Sans looks at her, she thinks he's going to object, like everyone else does. ' _It's probably nothing! Just show me!' 'Why are you hiding yourself, it's alright- show me!' 'Show me.' 'Show me'._

"Alright."

 _What? That's it? He's not gonna continue asking about it?_ The skeleton doesn't say anything more.

"Seems like you have a _latte_ on your mind, I won't ask if you don't feel comfortable about it." Riley snorts at his pun, smiling.

"You're p-pretty _humerus,_ Sans."

"Yup. I've been told i have quite the _Sans_ of humor." Riley laughs,

"That one was bad."

"They're all bad." He grins. As they talked, Riley felt her anxiety melt away. He didn't bring up the scarf or the threat again, much to her relief. An entire hour passed by, and Sans said he'd better get back home to Frankie who was alone with Papyrus.

"Gotta make sure they didn't burn the house down." He chuckles, standing up.

"Thank you." Riley says, still smiling about the conversation they just had.

"For what?" He asks, tilting his skull in confusion.

"Just… talking, I guess. It was really nice." Sans nods,

"Sure. Anytime." The skeleton frowned slightly, obviously thinking about the threat she'd received, "Do you want me t'walk you home?" Riley shakes her head.

"I live across the street, I'll be fine. You'd better get home to Papyrus and Frankie!" Sans nods,

"Alright- I guess I'll see ya at work, then." Riley smiles.

"That _works_ " Riley replies, Sans shakes his head,

" _That_ one was bad."

* * *

 **REVIEWS FOR CHAPTER TWELVE:**

 **comicallysans:** Are you planning on shipping sans and riley...?

 _... whaaatttt... sans and riley...? uhhhmmm... whhaaattt?_

 **The Ivory Panda:** This story is so adorable! I love it! I've actually been thinking of writing something with a baby bones that meets Paps and Sans so when my friend told me about this story I was so excited! Awesome job!

 _Yay! We're so glad you found it and like it! Thanks so much!_

 **SilerofWorlds:** Frankie is stronger than he thinks? Is this hinting at some possible Frankie dunkage in the future?

 _ahhhh... trust me, we want to tell you...but..._

 _Maybe? We'll just say that someone's gonna have a bad, bad time. shhh... spoilers!_

 **I guest as much:** Nice update! All the characters feel real and alive. Riley's reactions especially feel punderstandable.

 _Thank you! It's so good to hear that! *whispers* ...no..._

 **Thank you all for your reviews! We hope you like this chapter too!**


	14. Chapter 14: The Pun Master

"Alright, this is where we say goodbye." Sans smiled. Frankie looked nervous. "Kiddo, what's wrong? I thought you loved school."

"I do, but Frisk is still sick…" Frankie murmured.

"Hey, you're gonna have lots of fun anyways, alright?"

"Right." Frankie nodded. "I guess…. at least I still have Ella."

"There you go!" Sans nods. "I'll see around lunchtime."

"Okay! I love you."

"Love you too, kiddo."

Class was fun. He and Ella sat together and worked on their different projects. When Lunch time finally came, Frankie was glad because he was starving. He and Ella were the last to come out of the classroom. Frankie was dismayed to find, not Sans waiting for him, but Brendan. The taller boy was leaning against the wall with a smirk on his face.

"Hey there, little freak baby. I saw you and your daddy in the hall today. Still too little to quit telling him you love him?" Brendan chuckled.

"Brendan! Go pick on someone your own size!" Ella cried, her voice rising in pitch as she spoke.

"You stay out of it, nerd." Brendan hissed. Frankie stared up at Brendan defiantly.

"You don't scare me, Brendan." He whispered. "And you don't make me angry either. You never will. You'll only ever make me feel… pity."

"That's it, little whimp. I'll make you afraid of me." Brendan cracked his knuckles, and before Frankie had time to react, the older boy grabbed his arm and threw him against the wall. Frankie let out a cry as he felt his shoulder blade crack. "You don't mess with me, runt. GOT IT?!" Brendan shouted. Frankie groaned, gripping his arm, trying not to move too much. He was sure it was just a little crack, but it was very sore.

"Got it." Frankie hissed.

"Good." Brendan raised his fist threateningly, and Frankie and Ella watched him sulk off. Just at that moment Sans came rushing around the corner, dragging his mop cart with him.

"Frankie! Sorry, I'm- Oh god! Kiddo, what happened?!" He let go of the cart and rushed over to Frankie.

"He was-" Ella began.

"I fell." Frankie groaned, wiping away tears of anger and embarrassment. Ella let out an exasperated sigh.

"It's alright, kiddo. Let's get you to Toriel's office. She can get you all fixed up. Ella, do you want to help?" Sans asked.

"Of course." Ella nodded. With Ella and Sans' help Frankie made it to Toriel's office.

"Oh! Franklin!" Toriel gasped. "What happened, dear?"

"I fell and hit my shoulder." Frankie replied. "I think… I think it's cracked."

"Let me take a look." Toriel let Franklin sit up on her desk where she examined his little trophy for "talking back". "It's just a little crack on the edge here. It should heal pretty quickly." Toriel said. "I will put some medical tape on it to keep it from getting jostled around too much, but besides that you should be fine."

"Thanks, Tori." Sans said. He turned to Frankie with a nod, "You hurry to the cafeteria, kiddo. I've gotta talk to Tori for a minute."

"Okay."

"Here, Frankie!" Ella said, "I'll carry your lunch for you."

"Thanks, Ella, you're the best."

* * *

"Is there something wrong, Sans?" Toriel had a way of reading people. Sans' nonexistent eyebrows furrow.

"It's Frankie. He's been actin' weird lately and… well, you have more experience with kids n' stuff, so I figured I'd talk to you 'bout it." Sans takes a seat across Toriel's desk. Toriel's expression softens,

"He has been acting weirdly? How so?"

"He's been eating less, and he's been kinda… down, I guess." Toriel nods,

"Have you talked to him about it?" Sans shakes his head,

"I asked him what was wrong this morning, and he said he was worried about Frisk not being here." Tori frowns.

"Perhaps something is going on that he did not tell you about. I think you should talk to him, Sans, it might help. I am sorry I cannot offer you much advice…" Sans shakes his head,

"That's alright, Tori. I'll talk t'him later." Sans forces a smile onto his face, standing up, "Thanks." Toriel nods, smiling softly as he walks out the door. Sans lets out a deep sigh as he makes his way back to the janitor's closet. There wasn't much to do now, lunch wasn't for a couple hours, and the halls were already clean.

 _I guess I could pay Riley a visit._ He shuffles down the hall to the library, once inside, he hears Riley's familiar snorting laugh. Then he hears Iro,

"So my friend called me and asked if I could come over… and I said: 'I would if I could… but i'm kinda _booked_ right now!" He turns the corner to see Riley doubled over in laughter and Iro proudly holding up a book to create emphasis on the pun he just made. _Who made you the pun master?_

Sans clears his throat.

"Oh! Hi, Sans!" Riley manages to say through her laughter.

"Hey, Sans!" Iro says, his sharp teeth exposed in a wide grin.

"Heya." Sans replies, narrowing his eyes. Iro chuckles,

"I was just telling Riley some jokes! Have you heard her laugh? It's great!" Riley snorts,

"You two should have a pun-off or something. I think Iro here might even be as good as you, Sans!" Sans forces a smile onto his face, _We'll see about that…_

"That'd be a ton of fun. A _skele_ -ton." Iro says, causing Riley to laugh. _He did not. That's my pun._ Sans has to keep himself from glaring.

"I wouldn't wanna be _dragon_ you behind me, I think we all know I'd win." Sans retorts, crossing his arms. Iro smiles at this.

"It's going _tibia_ close one, that's for sure." Iro counters.

"If you say so, but I think I'd beat you easily. I couldn't _patella_ you a _fib-ula._ " Needless to say, Iro steps back after that one. Riley is almost in tears, snorting and laughing.

"Wow, when Riley said you were good, she really meant it." Iro laughs. Sans glares,

"Yup. Anyways, Riley, are you coming to Spaghetti Night?" Riley's green eyes light up.

"Yeah! I'm really excited to see everyone again!", She pauses, "Can Iro come too?" Sans stiffens, looking over at the dragon monster, who chuckles, shaking his head.

"That's not necessary, I wouldnt want to intrude!"

"You wouldn't be int-" Sans cuts Riley off,

"Well, he said he didn't wanna intrude, guess that settles that." Riley probably frowns under her scarf, "Uh… alright. Well, uh. Maybe next time, Iro. heh." Sans gives Iro a curt nod, his stare cold. Iro doesn't seem to notice this.

"Anyways, Riley. I was wondering if you'd wanna get coffee again some time?" Sans asks, staring at Iro. Riley nods,

"Sure! Sounds great!"

* * *

"Good morning, kiddo." Sans smiled. "What do you want for breakfast?" Frankie sighed. He wasn't hungry, the idea of going to school today made him feel a little sick. He knew Frisk would be better by now, but he was still afraid that Brendan would find some way to find him alone- someway to hurt him again. His cracked bone was healing quickly, but it still ached- reminding him of yesterday.

"Nothing." He sighed, throwing his backpack down on the couch. Sans looked up from his coffee suddenly.

"Nothin'? What? Why not?"

"I'm not hungry." Frankie replied.

"Maybe not for breakfast food…" Sans grinned, "But we have some left over spaghetti! I'll go heat it up for-"

"I don't want any." Frankie said. Sans stopped in his tracks.

"W-what? Kiddo, you're always hungry. What's wrong?"

"I'm just not hungry."

"Okay… well…" Sans picked up his coffee again. "I'll pack you extra lunch then." Frankie didn't respond. School… he loved school, he didn't like Brendan. Sans was still looking worriedly over at him as they headed out to the school, Frankie dragging behind and looking forward reluctantly.

When they reached the school Sans said goodbye to head over to the Janitor's closet, and Frankie, fearfully, had to make his way through the hallways alone. _It's gonna be fine. Once I make it to the classroom I won't have to worry about it anymore._

Of course, it was just Frankie's luck to literally run right into Brendan while turning a corner. "Ouch! Oh, sorry!" Frankie gasped.

"Hey, loser! What did I say about messing with me?!"

"I-it was an acci-accident!" Frankie gasped. "I didn't… I didn't see you!" A teacher came around the corner just at the right moment. Frankie let out a sigh of relief as Brendan hissed,

"Don't do it again, freak!" A little human girl with light brown curls approached Frankie as soon as Brendan disappeared.

"Hey… ummm…." She looked really shy, she must have been a grade younger than him. "Frankie, right?"

"Yeah." Frankie nodded, still a little shaken.

"I…" She spoke so softly Frankie could hardly hear her. "I saw you yesterday when you fought with Brendan, you see, and... umm… I thought you were very brave."

"Oh…. I'm not brave."

"Anyone can be brave." She gave him a little smile. "I was scared at first, but I came and talked… talked to you."

"Thanks." Frankie said. The Bell rang. "Looks like we have to get to class."

"Okay…" She paused, offering another smile. "W-will I see you at lunch?"

"Sure." Frankie nodded.

"Oh! Wow-! I mean… cool!"

Frankie had fun working with Ella on finishing up their Charlotte's Web poster board. He didn't know what their next subject in literature would be but he hoped it would be as fun as Charlotte's Web was. Lunch came pretty fast, and Frankie was extremely happy to see Frisk at the doors to the cafeteria waiting for him.

 _FRANKIE! I heard what happened!_ They paused and narrowed their eyes. _Did you really fall or does someone need to get their a-_

"I fell." Frankie replied. Frisk sighed, shaking their head.

"He did. I was there." Ella lied. Frankie smiled, grateful.

 _Whatever you say. I'm glad you're alright. Let's go find a seat._ Frankie remembered he had promised that little girl he'd eat lunch with her. Where he would find her, he wasn't sure.

"Frisk, I promised a girl I'd eat lunch with her today." Frankie said.

"Ooh!" Ella laughed.

"Not like that!" Frankie said. "I want to introduce her to you all. She was really nice."

 _What's her name?_ Frisk asked. Frankie froze. He didn't actually know.

"I don't know…" He sighed. Suddenly, the little girl came skipping up to him.

"Hi-Hi, Frankie!" She carried a little sack lunch and was smiling. "I was hoping I'd fi-find you! Are- are these your friends?" She smiled, putting her hands behind her back.

"Yeah, umm.. This is Frisk, and Ella…. Umm… I don't actually know your name…?"

"Oh…" She smiled sheepishly. "My name's Wren. Wren Tailor. But it's just a silly name."

"I think it's a very nice name." Frankie said.

 _Let's go eat._ Frisk signed.

"Alright. Come sit with us, Wren!" Ella said happily. Frisk led the way to a table in the corner.

"How old are you, Wren?" Ella asked.

"I'm seven…" Wren said softly. "My birthday's in Sep-september."

 _That's cool! Do you live around here?_ Frisk signed. Wren frowned.

"They want to know if you live around here." Frankie explained.

"Oh… yeah… me and my daddy do. My daddy's in the navy. We moved here this year."

"Cool!" Frankie smiled. "I guess we moved here this year too." Ella laughed.

"It's really cool how you guys… came here. My daddy was talking to the… the uhh… school librarian about how you all got here. I think it's really brave how you've all come and found homes here even though some people treat you bad. My daddy thinks so too."

"Ummm… thanks…" Frankie smiled.

"Anyways… what do you all got for lunch? My daddy packed me a peanut butter and jelly sandwich I think…"

"Same here." Frankie nods. "Sans always helps me make it in the morning."

 _I got peanut butter and cinnamon-honey._ Frisk signed.

"I got a BLT!" Ella said excitedly.

"You all are really nice." Wren smiled. "I think we're going to be friends."

* * *

 **REVIEWS FOR CHAPTER THIRTEEN:**

 **Fern of the Clouds:** And this au has been dubbed by the goddess Fern...FRANKIE-TALE! i have fallen in love with this story.

 _That is actually pretty adorable! 3 We're so glad you like it! :)_

 **StarBee24:** I just can't wait for Frankie to get magic...then Brandon K and O

 _*grins*... mayhaps you won't have to wait too much longer... *shhh... secrets*_

 **anthonyabc268:** Great story it's very interesting I'm wonderin tho where's flowy or asrial will he show up

 _Thanks! Uh... no Asriel and Flowey won't be in the story._

 **GenuineGreenTea:** Will I have the privilege of seeing sans give a monster hater a bad time?  
~Master of Tea

 _Yesssss... ;)_

 **I guest as much:** It feels like you really nailed Sans' personality, and nice job characterizing both Brendan and Ella in one scene, that's pretty difficult to do, but I'm starting to see foreshadowing that Riley's gonna have a bad time... And the implications chill me to the bone.

 _Oh my gosh! Thanks so much! Uhh... about that...  
I can't say. (*papyrus' voice* STOP PLAGUING MY LIFE WITH PUNS!) _

**Thanks soooo much for all your reviews! We really, really love hearing from you and really appreciate the encouragement! See you on the next chapter!**

 **-mariahills-capsicle**


	15. 15: Coffee and Multiplying Cat Scenarios

The sound of the alarm. Crap. It was 6:45. Nope. Back to sleep. Back to sleep. But Riley couldn't go back to sleep. She was both nervous and excited for talking to Sans again today. Mainly nervous. Alright. Daily routine. Minus the coffee. Because she'd be getting coffee shortly with Sans. She grabs a blue scarf this time, and a black beanie. Cool.

As soon as she's out the door, it's 7:20. What was she going to do for nearly 3 hours? Well, the most obvious choice was the library. She felt welcome there and at home. That's a good start. She walks down the flight of stairs, crossing the street to the familiar building. The librarian gave her a quiet nod when she walked in the door. Ah yes, Miss Anderson. Quiet and kind.

Riley makes her way the other back of the library, no one could see her there and it was where all of the old books were. The smell of old books. Best smell in the world. She had her own corner back there. Miss Anderson had put a couple bean bags back there for her. Bless Miss Anderson.

Riley grabs an old book off the shelf, sitting on a bean bag. _Alright. Relax. It's still 3 hours till your da- no. it's not a date. It's a hangout. Don't you even dare call it a date._ Riley lets out a sigh, digging into the random book she picked out. Honestly, it wasn't very interesting. She found herself thinking more and more about Sans. _Alright._ She couldn't stay in the library much longer. She needed to go for a walk- _yeah. That was it. A walk._

Riley gathers her things and heads out, making sure the scarf was still securely tightened on her face. Miss Anderson bids her goodbye as soon as she's out the door, Riley waves back, smiling kindly, although Miss Anderson couldn't see her smile anyways. _Okay. Just walk it off._

And that she does, She finds herself walking along the sidewalk, no set destination. But she needs something distracting to do. Suddenly, she hears a gruff voice behind her,

"hey- _you._ " _He does NOT sound friendly._ Riley slowly turns around, there's a man, probably in his 30's, standing behind her. Rather closely. She steps back.

"I saw you- we _warned you._ Why do you insist on being with that… that _THING_." Riley could faintly smell alcohol on his rancid breath, he was still so close, she makes a move to step further away. He suddenly reaches out, his hand wrapping around her wrist. Tightly. _Ow._

"L-Let go of me!" She shrieks. He tightens his grip, pulling her closer to him. Riley lets out a small cry of pain, she feels a few tears roll down her cheeks as he whispers into her ear,

"Listen here, you little _bitch._ Stay the hell away from those _creatures_ , you understand? This is your _last warning._ " His lips twist into a wide grin, as he pushes her away, forcing her to the ground. He's gone. Riley sits there a moment, shocked. Scared. She examines her wrist. Nothing broken, hopefully not sprained. She could already see bruises forming where his fingers had dug into her skin.

She shakily jumps to her feet, warily glancing around before making her way into a more populated area. She decided the next best move would be to go to the coffee shop early. Going home didn't seem like an option now. What if that man found out where she lived?

Riley glances up at the sign, "Clara's Coffee" _Oh no. Sans. What if that man sees me here with Sans… what if… what if he hunts me down. And hurts me? What if he hurts Sans? What if. What if. What if._ Her mind was crowded with every possible scenario that could happen. She was shaking badly, but surprisingly, not freaking out as much as she thought she would be.

 _Well, that's shock. I'm in shock._ She quickly walks into the coffee shop, buying a small breakfast sandwich so she didn't seem like she was just there for the free Wi-Fi. She pulls out her phone, trying to distract herself for the long hours ahead of her. An hour passes. She glances nervously at her wrist every few minutes, watching as the bruises became darker and darker.

And hell, did it hurt. She couldn't move her arm without a sharp jolt of pain traveling through her body. Perhaps It _was_ sprained. Her phone beeped. A text message.

 **Heya.**

 _Oh thank God. It's Sans. I have to warn him about what happened! No- wait. I can't let him worry about me. I'm not worth being worried over._

' _hiya'_

 **on my way over**

' _Alright! I'm already at the place.'_

 **Guess I'd better hurry then. I'd hate to BEAN late.**

' _mmm. Try harder._

 **Wow, jeez. I'm here btw**

' _already?'_

"yep."

Riley glanced up from her phone, and there he was. Wearing the same thing he was the day she met him. As much as she wanted to, she couldn't return his smile. Instead of happiness, fear swept over her. He seemed to notice this.

"Everything okay?" he asks, sitting across from her, a concerned look in his eyes.

"E-E-Everything's f-fine… I- I…" and that was all she could say before she broke down in tears. Sans looks like he'd just seen a ghost, like he didn't know what to say for once. Riley was shaking, her heart pounding. God, she didn't want Sans to see her like this.

"What's wrong? Did something happen?" Sans' voice is quiet and low. He looks down at her wrist, noticing the bruises. His eyes widen. Riley sobs harder, pulling her sleeves up so the bruises were covered. A second later, she's wrapped in a warm embrace.

"I-I-I-I was w-walking a-a-and… a guy… h-he…" Riley managed to choke out, crying into the skeleton's shoulder. People were beginning to stare. _No. NO. We have to get out of here!_ Riley pulls away from Sans, her eyes wide with fear. Sans seemed to have read her mind,

"Do you want to go somewhere else? How about the library?" His voice is soft and calm, his expression sympathetic and kind. Riley nods, trying to wipe away some of her tears as more sobs tore through her body. Sans helps her up, gently easing her out of the chair. Sans glares at the people who are staring and they quickly look away.

When they arrive at the library, Riley had managed to stop her tears. She led Sans to the back of the library, where they sat on the bean bags. Sans didn't start any conversation, he just sat there and stared at her with a worried expression for awhile.

Finally, he speaks up.

"Are you okay?"

Riley stares at him with a hollow expression, her eyes puffy and burning from the tears she had just shed. _Why was he being so nice? Anyone else would have up and left by now, not taking a second glance back at me, the freak that can't hold in her goddamn emotions…_

"Riley."

Riley's attention snapped back to Sans, who still held a concerned expression on his face.

"Are you okay?" Sans repeated.

Riley pulled up her scarf, sniffling.

"N-no," she said, her voice wavering. She felt a hand rest gently on her shoulder.

"Riley, you can tell me, if you want." Sans offers Riley a patient smile.

 _Yes. that's right. You can tell him._ and that she did. The next hour or so was spent telling Sans about the man who had assaulted her. About how he grabbed her and told her to stay away from Sans. Riley watched Sans carefully as she explained the scenario, his expression was completely unreadable and cold.

"I-I'm sorry for crying s-so much, heh." Riley says as she wipes tears away from her eyes. The skeleton looked like he was trying to find the right words to say, but falls silent. The look of concern and sympathy on his face was genuine.

"I-I… jeez…" Sans says, or at least, attempts to say, "... It's my fault, isn't it? I'm so sorry…"

Riley chuckles weakly, "Don't be… i-it's _not_ y-your fault"

Sans is about to retort when his cellphone rings, cutting him off. He looks down at the caller ID and sighs,

"What's going on, Papyrus?" Shouting can be heard through the phone. Sans' eyes widen.

" _W h a t_." More shouting.

"Paps- slow down. You're saying the cat _multiplied?"_

* * *

"AND, OF COURSE, YOU CAN'T HAVE SPAGHETTI WITHOUT THE PASTA!" Papyrus screamed. Frankie watched, drinking in every word, as Papyrus pulled out from his grocery bag an enormous package of spaghetti noodles. "YOU MAY THINK, 'THE GREAT PAPYRUS BOUGHT THOSE NOODLES JUST NOW WHEN HE BOUGHT THOSE TOMATOES!' WRONG! THESE NOODLES HAVE BEEN FINELY AGED, AND NOW THEY ARE READY FOR COOKING!"

"Wow! Thanks for showing me how to cook, Papyrus. This is awesome!" Frankie gasped. Papyrus set aside the spaghetti and pulled out a ridiculous amount of tomatoes.

"FIRST STEP: WE MUST POUND THESE TOMATOES INTO THE SAUCE! WE NEED SOME SORT OF DEVICE TO DO THIS WITH… I DON'T SUPPOSE YOU HAVE… A HAMMER OR SOMETHING?" Papyrus frowned.

"Well... " Frankie paused. There wasn't much in Sans' house, but there were things- like the monopolop game- that had been left by the pervious owner. Frankie thought maybe he could dig in the cupboards in the laundry room, or the large supply closet connected to the little laundry room. "We can check the laundry room."

"ALRIGHT! LET'S GO!" Papyrus spun around to exit the little kitchen and Frankie jumped up to follow him. Papyrus froze in the doorway to the living room. "I AM AFRAID THAT I ACTUALLY DON'T KNOW WHERE THE LAUNDRY ROOM IS."

"I'll show you!" Frankie grabbed the tall skeleton's hand and led him down the hallway. The laundry room was a pretty small room, attached to a little supply closet. Frankie knew the only things in the supply closet were a couple brooms, a mop, and a few old cardboard boxes. But maybe he had missed something.

"I'll check the cupboard, Papyrus, if you want to check the supply closet."

"ALRIGHT!" Papyrus yanked open the door eagerly, and came out almost instantly with one of the brooms, "I THINK THIS WILL WORK!"

"No, let's look for something shorter."

"ALRIGHT!" Papyrus returned to the closet. Frankie heard him moving things around. He sighed, climbing up on the little step stool to get to the cupboards. A terrible scream of panic rang out, Frankie jumped, and tumbled to the floor.

"Ow!" He gasped, scrambling to his feet just as Papyrus burst forth from the closet, still screaming. "P-Papyrus! What's wrong?!" Frankie cried.

"FRANKIE!" Papyrus screamed, grabbing Frankie's arms, "OHMYGOD! FRANKIE! YOUR- YOUR CAT!"

"What? What's wrong with Justice?" Frankie whispered, tears filling his eyes.

"YOUR CAT HAS MULTIPLIED! IT'S TERRIBLE! THERE ARE… FIVE CATS!"

"What?!" Frankie gasped, pulling away from Papyrus' grip he yanked open the closet door and rushed towards the little cardboard box in the center of the room. Inside lay Justice, and around her were four tiny kittens.

Papyrus came up behind him. "SEE! I TOLD YOU. IT MULTIPLIED! I… I JUST… I DIDN'T KNOW CATS COULD MULTIPLY! OHMYGOD! I HAVE TO CALL SANS!"

"Wait, what?!" Frankie was a little awe of the cats, but he followed Papyrus out to the kitchen where the skeleton grabbed his cellphone and dialed familiar numbers.

"SANS! OHMYGOD! OHMYGOD. SOMETHING SHOCKING HAS HAPPENED! THECATHASMULTIPLIED!" Papyrus paused to take in a breath and Sans uttered something before Papyrus continued. "NO, SANS! IT'S TERRIBLE! THECATHASMULTIPLIED! **THE CAT HAS MULTIPLIED!** " His screams increased in volume, and then he threw the phone across the room, running down the hall to Frankie's bedroom. Frankie stared after him in shock. _Umm.. wow?_ Frankie decided to run back to the laundry room to make sure he hadn't been seeing things. The kittens were still there. He counted them, staring in awe. _Justice had kittens! Justice had kittens!_ Four. There were four kittens. _Wow!_

"Congratulations, Justice!" He smiled. "You're a mama."

* * *

The shouting becomes frantic, the call ends. Sans looks really confused,

"I uhm… should probably head home. Stuff's goin' on…" Riley nods,

"Y-Yeah yeah, of course." Sans frowns.

"You gonna be okay? On your own? You can come with if you want…" _I should probably say no, I've already bothered the guy enough today… but… I don't want to be alone. Not now._ Riley finds herself nodding,

"S-sure, I'll come with." Sans smiles kindly before offering her his hand.

"Here- hold on. I know a shortcut", Riley grabs his hand. _What? A shortcut? What does tha-_ there's a flash of light and a falling sensation. She wants to scream, but she ends up grabbing onto Sans for dear life, clutching onto his jacket. Suddenly, the world appears to swirl and bend around her as she's no longer in the library, but in Sans' living room.

Riley's eyes are wide, and they grow even wider once she realizes how close she's standing to Sans. She nearly falls backwards, scrambling away from him.

"Pretty fast shortcut, huh?" He looks amused.

"WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?" She breathes out, trying to compose herself. Sans shrugs,

"Magic. I'll tell ya about it-"

"SANS! THERE YOU ARE! COME QUICKLY!" A familiar voice screams from down the hallway, Sans chuckles,

"I'll explain later. I guess we should probably see what Paps is yelling about." With a few breaths, Riley manages to calm herself down and nod. She follows the skeleton down the hallway, to the laundry room. As soon as Sans steps in, he freezes.

"What the-"

"I TOLD YOU THE CAT MULTIPLIED!" Riley glances over Sans' shoulder, a wide smile spreads across her face,

"aaaaawwwwww KITTENS!" she pushes past Sans, kneeling down before the little bundles of fur. Frankie looks over at Sans in excitement,

"Look! Justice had kittens!"

Riley glances up at Sans, who just kinda stands there with a shocked expression on his face. Well, anyways, Justice looks proud.

" _SANS! I DID NOT KNOW THAT CATS COULD MULTIPLY!"_ The taller skeleton exclaims, he almost seems a little frightened. Riley laughs,

"S-She had kittens, Paps. Y'know- like babies." Papyrus' eyes widen, looking down at Justice. There were 4 kittens. Two of them looked just like their mother, tortoiseshell. one of them was an orange tabby, and the other was mostly white with a few black and orange splotches.

Riley smiles, standing back up and walking over to Sans who still stood confused in the doorframe.

"You okay there, bonehead?" _What was that? Bonehead? A playful insult? Oh no._

"Heh. Yeah. The better question is: Are _you?"_

"I am now" _You did not just say that. Oh no._ Sans chuckles,

"I'm here to talk if you ever need to, okay?" _Oh no._

"O-Okay!" _That was way too eager. Oh no._ Riley's face turns slightly red. _Oh no._ Sans smiles. _Oh no._

 _I like him._

* * *

 **REVIEWS FOR CHAPTER FOURTEEN:**

 **GaleForceSinger:** Go have a bad time, Brendan.

 _Oh yes. Mayhaps very soon... ;)_

 **anthonyabc268:** Ahhh I really wanted to see them but none the less the story's great keep up the good work

 _Thanks! Glad you like it!_

 **Kitlith:** Brendan, and maybe his father, are totally going to get dunked on soon. Frisk suspects something, Sans had noticed something, Brendan is only getting away with this because Frankie doesn't think it's worth it. ... or did I get names mixed up?

By the time they're done with Brendan, he'll be bone tired, and this organization? Possibly dead tired. However, they'd have to work themselves down to the bone in order to do that to everyone in the organization who is perpetrating fibulas.

Hope you like the poor attempt at puns. :P

 _Nah, you got all the names right. Yeah... something's gonna happen, very soon. Just wait!_

 _Yes! They're awesome! Thanks for reviewing!_

 **Mr. Indigo:** Is sans ever going to give Brandon a bad time?

 _Well... Sans? No..._

 **Mechasniper51:** LIVING COLOUR LYRICS  
"Cult Of Personality"

Look in my eyes, what do you see?  
The cult of personality  
I know your anger, I know your dreams  
I've been everything you want to be

I'm the cult of personality  
Like Mussolini and Kennedy  
I'm the cult of personality  
The cult of personality  
The cult of personality...

 _Wow... I have to say, it's a pretty thought provoking song. Thanks for posting it!_

 **nadiahardar:** "I think that we're going to be friends."

*Instant flashback to that video*

"I think that we're going to be friends."  
BWO BWO BWOoO BWO BWO BWO BWOOO!

 _Holy crap. You wrote exactly what I was thinking. Like, when I wrote that sentence I was like: Isn't that...? Yes... Should I change it...? No. And now, that stupid kazoo kid is all I can think about! It's hilarious._

 **GenuineGreenTea:** OMGGG. Does Frankie have a lady friend?

 _Mayyybee... ;)_

 **I guest as much:** I'm not gonna lie, I don't quite trust wren yet, but hopefully things with her will work out. I love how Iro seems oblivious to the hostility coming from Sans, though Riley's picking it up. It's probably a good thing they decided to book it.

 _Yes... and that whole hostility thing? Guess we'll see where that goes... ;) (once again, nice use of puns -Papyrus: SANS. STOP)_

 **TRUE PUN MASTER:** Tibia honest, I'm chilled to the bone this story is so good. I'm too tired to make puns. I worked myself down to the BONE.

*Papyrus's Voice* STOP!ENOUGH PUNS! STOOOOOOOOP!

 _Nice puns! But Papyrus is definitely screaming somewhere... Thanks for the review, We're so glad you like the story!_

 **THANKS SO MUCH FOR ALL THE REVIEWS! We love hearing from you all! See you next time!**

 **-mariahills-capsicle**


	16. Chapter 16: Act of Justice

Frankie felt better about school after meeting Wren. She was really nice, and she had reminded him that he could be brave. He still had nightmares, he still was nervous that he'd meet Brendan in the halls, but he wasn't afraid of the boy anymore. Not in the same way. He wondered if Wren would eat lunch with them again. He was just heading to class when he turned the corner to see Wren standing there, her little arms wrapped around her backpack tightly. Brendan stood above her, arms crossed glare on his face.

"You get it?" He hissed. "They're dangerous to be around. They're freaks."

"They're not freaks!" Wren whispered. "They're my friends!" Frankie watched in horror as Brendan raised his hand above his head and struck her across the cheek.

"Hey!" He gasped, anger pulling on him, "Leave her alone!"

"Oh!" Brendan snarled. Wren was fighting back tears, wiping them away quickly, her lip was bleeding. Frankie stepped to her side. "What are you going to do about it, puny freak?" Brendan snapped. Frankie looked down at his feet. _What can I do?_ Anger was building up within him. _I'm not a freak! Leave Wren alone!_

"That's what I thought." Brendan chuckled. "Listen, Tailor." He reached out and grabbed Wren's arm. _Leave her alone!_ Frankie's thoughts were screaming at him. _Make him stop! MAKE HIM STOP._ But he was frozen where he stood, his anger slowly building up inside him. _This isn't fair! It's not right! MAKE HIM STOP._ "If I catch you hanging around those freaks again you'll get a lot worse than a bloody lip."

"DON'T TOUCH HER." Frankie exploded. He raised his fists, engulfed in yellow magic, and slammed one right into Brendan's jaw. The fourth grader screamed like a little girl, and collapsed to the ground, a tooth flew out somewhere.

Frankie fell to his hands and knees, anger still pulsing through him. His fists still alight with magic. He could hear people come running. Frankie took in a deep breath, the yellow magic around his hands slowly disappearing. _Magic… where did that come from?_

"Frankie?" Wren's hand rested on his shoulder blade, "Are… are you alright?" He sat up slowly, looking over at Wren in the eyes.

"I..." She was smiling. Her pretty eyes filled with joy.

"You were so brave." She whispered. She wiped blood from her lip again, and helped him stand. Brendan was still sobbing on the floor, teachers had surrounded him by now. "Thank you for saving me." Wren pulled Frankie into a tight hug. Frankie's cheekbones turned a bright yellow.

"Franklin." _Toriel._

"Uh-oh."

"Uh-oh is right." Toriel frowned. "Wren, please go with Brendan to the nurse's office. Someone there can help you with that lip."

"Yes, Miss Toriel." Wren nodded slowly, she looked over to where Brendan lay surrounded by adults. She smiled, crossing her arms, and gave Frankie a reassuring nod.  
"Franklin. Come with me, please." Frankie looked back to watch Wren leave, and then he turned to follow Toriel.

* * *

Sans was just finishing up the lunchroom, when he received a phone call. He set his mop against a table, pulling the phone out of his pocket. _Tori?_ Sans picks up.

"Heya."

"Sans, I need you to come down to my office immediately. It's Franklin." Sans' eyes widened.

"Is he okay? Is he hurt?" Toriel sighs.

"It would be better for you to come down here. We need to talk." Sans hangs up immediately and shortcuts to Toriel's office,worry and fear clutching at his soul. He bursts in the door,

"Tori what's-" His eyes fall to Frankie, who was sitting across from Toriel's desk, looking down at his feet.

"Sans, if you could please have a seat." Sans' nonexistent eyebrows furrow in concern as he takes the seat next to Frankie,

"Is everything okay?" He gently sets his hand on Frankie's shoulder. Frankie doesn't respond. Toriel takes a deep breath,

"Sans, Franklin punched one of his classmates." Sans looks at Frankie in surprise. _Frankie PUNCHED someone?_ The small skeleton still looks at the floor.

"Jeez." Toriel nods,

"Brendan was bullying a friend of his, Wren, and he stepped in and… well. Brendan's jaw was broken." _Holy crap. That's awesome._ Sans couldn't help the smile that spread across his face. Toriel seemed displeased by this.

"Sans. This is serious." _Seriously awesome._

"Kid really packs a _punch_ , huh?" Sans chuckles, Franklin looks up in surprise.

"Sans. Franklin broke a kid's jaw."

"That's pretty _Jaw_ some, right?" Toriel doesn't laugh.

"Sans. Are you aware that Franklin can use magic?" Sans stopped chuckling.

"What?"

"He used yellow magic to hit Brendan. That is not common, Sans. Yellow magic is exceptionally rare in monsters, especially young monsters. Typically, someone with age would obtain this ability, since yellow magic can only be activated-"

"When something unjust happens. Right. Got it." _Yellow. The color of justice._ Toriel nods slowly. Sans turns to Frankie,

"Did you know you could do this?" The small skeleton shakes his head,

"N-No! I didn't mean to! I-" Sans chuckles,

"S'all right, kiddo. I'm not angry." Toriel sighs,

"Sans, this is not good. What do you think Brendan's mother will say?" Sans winces. _She could press charges…_

"Franklin, could you wait outside a moment, dear?" Toriel asks sweetly. Frankie looks up at Sans, and then gets off the chair, grabs his backpack, and heads out the door. Sans gives him a wide smile. The older skeleton looks back at Toriel, who has her face in her hands in exasperation.

"Sans. This is not something that you can shrug off. You need to talk to Franklin about using his magic. He needs to be able to control it." Sans sighs.

"I know, Tori… But you can't just- train a kid to use _yellow_ magic properly. It only activated because _he_ thought he was doing the right thing."

"Sans. You still need to talk to him." The skeleton nods.

"Alright. I'll talk t'him." Toriel smiles sweetly,

"Thank you. You can have the rest of the day off, and take Franklin home early."

* * *

As soon as Sans arrived back at the house with Franklin, he decided it would be best to talk immediately. The two skeletons sit down on the couch. Before Sans could take a breath, Frankie blurted out,

"I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to hurt him, it's just he was hurting Wren and I couldn't just sit there and watch and-"

"Frankie." Sans said, trying to make it seem like he was serious, but internally, he was overjoyed with the fact that that little brat got what he deserved. _No one messes with Frankie._ The little skeleton was silent.

"What you did was wrong," Sans sighs, kinda feeling bad about telling him this, "It's not good to use magic against others-"

"B-but he was hurting Wren! He hit her!" Frankie had tears in his eye sockets.

"Frankie. I know you thought it was the just thing to do in that situation, but breaking a kid's _jaw_ is a little much, don't you think?" Frankie nods solemnly, wiping the tears away from his cheekbones.

"I-I'm sorry. It won't happen again." Sans gives him a reassuring smile and embraces him,

"I know, kiddo. Now whadaya say we heat up some spaghetti?"

* * *

He hadn't meant to hurt Brendan, at least not that bad. The whole magic thing had been an accident. The jaw-breaking part- a big surprise. He had just wanted to get Brendan to leave Wren and all his friends alone.

" _Violence doesn't solve problems."_ Toriel had said.

" _Look, kiddo, you really did a number on that… jerk. And I'm proud that you stood up for yourself and your friends, but that doesn't mean that punching people in the face is socially acceptable."_ Sans had said over dinner. _I won't use magic again. And I won't hurt anyone ever again…_ Frankie vowed. Now he and Sans both agreed not to talk about the event again that evening, so they had settled down to watch cartoons before bed, Frankie had his arms wrapped around Sans tightly.

There was a quick knock at the door.

"I'll go get it." Sans sighed, standing up from the orange couch. Frankie smiled at Sans' exasperated expression. "But if it's Toriel again _you_ get to talk to her."

"Okaaaaayyyy." Frankie sighed.

"Hello?" Frankie hurried into the hall at the sound of unfamiliar voice.

"Hello, Sir, I'm sorry for bothering you but," A young human man wearing blue camouflage stood in the doorway, "I'm looking for a young man named Franklin."

"That's me!" Frankie gasped, stepping out from around the corner. Sans opened the door wider.

"Come on in." He said.

"Oh, no. I don't want to intrude. I'm just here to say a little something to Franklin." The young man knelt down so he was face to face with Frankie, taking off his hat. "My name's Brent Tailor." He said with a little smile.

"You're Wren's dad!" Frankie said.

"Yes. When Wren came home from school today with a split lip I was afraid that something was very wrong. But she told me everything that happened. I got your address from Miss Toriel. I wanted to thank you in person, young man, for protecting my baby girl."

"Wren's my friend." Frankie replied. "I couldn't just sit there and let him hit her."

"Thank you." Brent set his hand on Frankie's shoulder. "You're a good kid, Frankie." Brent stood quickly and held out his hand to Sans. "You have a good son, sir." Sans took it with a smile.

"Well, actually… uh… thanks." When Sans shut the door he turned to Frankie with a grin.

"I'm proud you stood up to that kid, Frankie." He said. "Though, next time, let's be a little less extreme." Frankie sighed.

"I just hope Brendan doesn't hurt anyone anymore."

"After the bad time you gave him? I don't think so." Sans said.

* * *

 **REVIEWS FOR CHAPTER FIFTEEN:**

 **Meow:** Can you name one of the Kittens Riolu?Maybe one of the tortoiseshell ones?Please?Also THE CATS HAVE MULTIPLIED!

 _Ahh! Sorry I didn't see your review earlier. Sometimes that happens, it's weird. I hope you see this..._

 _We've already had all the kittens names planned out for a while. Sorry! You'll see their names next chapter. And YES! THE CAT HAS MULTIPLIED! :D_

 **GaleForceSinger:** Riley and Sans, sitting in a tree!  
I-wait he doesn't have lips. Huh.  
I'm quite enjoying up a steady theme of intolerance in the fic, in between Frankie being bullied at school, and Riley getting threatened for being with Sans. If you keep this up, this could become a great fic with a deeper, meaningful message, rather than just another of those fics which are like, "Sans adopts a kid, insert adorable shenanigans here". So uh, no pressure?

 _Who says that means they can't kiss? *grins*  
We're definitely hoping to keep intolerance as a theme through this fic, and... if there's a sequel through that one too. Thanks so much, we're glad you like it.  
_

 **anthonyabc268:** I'm wonder in if that drunk guy gots anything to do with Brendan or if it's just a weird thing I'm thikin of

 _Well, it's definitely not a bad guess, and I think it'll become clear pretty soon here. *cough* CHAPTER EIGHTEEN *cough*  
_

 **The Ivory Panda:** This was such a cute chapter!

 _Aww thanks! And I hope for many more cute ones to come! :D_

 **StarBee24:** CALLED IT! Justice was preggers and Riley likes Sans! SO CALLED IT! XD

 _Yes! SMALL CATS! And CRUSHES.  
As for you calling things... My cousin and I remember being in awe of this review you left on chapter thirteen: "_I just can't wait for Frankie to get magic...then Brandon K and O" _We were wondering if you're psychic. Like, holy hell. How'd you know?!_

 **Reader99:** Love your fic it is amaaaaaaaaaaaazzzzzzzzzzzzziiiiiiiiiiinnnnnnnnggggggg

 _Awww! Thanks so much!_

 **sonicxjones:** Give those men bullying her a bad time. And on a second note...AAAWWWWW KITTENS!

 _I think all of us concur. Poor Riley. And yes: SMALL CATS!_

 **GenuineGreenTea:** Dude... Riley likes sans? I legit did not see that coming at all...

 _Mmm... we tried to hint at it. But, you know, she didn't really see it coming either. So... It was kind of hard to do both- make it a surprise, but kind of give it a little hint. So, there were a couple of places in the previous chapters where we had Riley think something that sort of leaned towards that. Here are a few._

 _"It had been a week since Riley had seen her friends, a week since Riley had seen Sans."_

 _"I was stupid to leave my friends- to leave Sans."_

 _"She was both nervous and excited for talking to Sans again today."_

 _"It's still 3 hours till your da- no. It's not a date. It's a hangout. Don't you even dare call it a date."_

 _Anyways. Those are the big ones. I guess all but the last are pretty subtle. *shrugs* Ah well._

 **Guest:** _(for chapter 14)_

Wren- "I think we're gonna be friends"  
Obnoxious Kazoo- bvt bvt BVVVT bv bv bv bvVVVVVVVVT!

 _Okay, yes. Get it out guys. *I KNEW I SHOULD HAVE CHANGED THAT*  
Just kidding. I laugh every time. _

**Guest:** SANS I DID NOT KNOW THAT CATS COULD MULTIPLY!  
I laughed so hard, like, hard enough that I could've woken up my NEIGHbor, Aaron. :)

 _No. Stop. *papyrus' voice* STOP PLAGUING MY LIFE WITH PUNS._

 _But yes. THE CAT HAS MULTIPLIED! THECATHASMULTIPLIED!_

 **I guest as much:** Awesome update! We get a chapter fully from Riley's perspective! Speaking of which, I guess the cat's out of the bag on Riley's feelings, though if you ask me, they were a-parent from the beginning.

 _Ohmygod. Cat's got my tongue on this one (or rather, my keyboard?). Your puns are quite fantastic. I can't deny it._

 _As for Riley... This is the beginning of a little something we fondly call_ **Sansley.**

 **Holy goodness, wowie! SO MANY REVIEWS! THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH! We love reading all your puns, and seeing all your comments. It's so great! Thanks so much for all of it! WOWIE! :D**

 **-mariahills-capsicle**

 **PS. My cousin and I have drawn a RIDICULOUS amount of art for this story (mostly my cousin, she's an amazing artist- she drew our fantabulous cover art), if y'all are on tumblr and are interested- let us know in a review if you'd like us to make a tumblr blog just for this story, so we can post chapter updates and lots of art!**


	17. 17: The Giving Away of the Small Cats

**Hello, awesome readers!**

 **We have decided that we will indeed be starting up a tumblr blog. There we'll post chapter updates and all the drawings we've done for this story!  
We hope that once the blog is set up, we'll see you all there!**

 **-mariahills_capsicle**

* * *

The weeks flew by- and Spring came. The small cats grew and grew, and Frankie loved them. All the while, his grades were steadily climbing, and his nightmares were becoming less and less frequent. Brendan had been pulled out of school for the time being, and so he wasn't going to be bothering anyone for a long time. Frankie was happy, he and his friends- Frisk, Ella, and Wren- got together often. More importantly, Frankie had grown to love his new family with all his soul.

It was a Saturday afternoon, when Sans, while watching Frankie playing with all five cats happily, realized that he definitely could not have five cats in the house.

"So, Frankie, I think the kittens are big enough where we can begin looking for new homes for them." Sans said, with a smile.

"New homes? Why?" Frankie frowned. "They're happy here."

"Well, I can't really afford five cats, and besides, don't you want to give other boys and girls cats to make them happy?"

"I love them." Frankie said. "I want to keep all of them."

"Frankie, I know you love the kittens, but we can't have five cats in this house." Sans said with a frown. Frankie groaned,

"Sans! They're my cats!" He was stroking one of the tortoiseshells that he called 'Poof.' Sans knew that to Frankie getting rid of the kittens was a very sad idea. And sending them off to strangers? A terrifying concept.

"I can't afford five cats, Frankie, it would end up being a cat-tastrophe." Sans replied, "And besides, I'm starting to think that I'm going insane. Five cats is… a ridiculous amount for one house."

"But…" Then Frankie grinned, looking over at the four kittens spread across the room. "Sans…?"

"Yup?"

"Do you think Papyrus would like a kitten?"

"Do I…?" Sans stared at Frankie. _Kiddo, you're a genius._ "I don't know about Paps, but I know Alphys does! Maybe Frisk would too."

"Well?" Frankie smiled. "Can we invite them over?"

"Let's start with Paps." Sans replied. "I'll call him right now."

* * *

Papyrus was over within minutes, but only because all he heard Sans utter was "Papyrus, why don't you come over sometime-" And he had dropped the phone and raced to get into his car.

"SANS! FRANKIE!" Papyrus was certainly pleased to see both of them. "IT IS SO GOOD TO SEE YOU!" Then Papyrus remembered the kittens. "FRANKIE, WHERE ARE YOUR SMALL CATS?!"

"They're probably in my room." Frankie lead Sans and Papyrus to his bedroom. In fact, all the cats were on Frankie's bed, the four kittens and Justice.

"BEHOLD SMALL CATS! I THE GREAT PAPYRUS WILL ONCE AGAIN BE YOUR FRIEND!" Papyrus cried. Frankie watched, holding back a laugh as three of the cats (two kittens and Justice) decided that shouting was a nope, and ran to hide under the bed. The two other cats looked rather frightened, but stood their ground. Papyrus knelt down by Frankie's bed, and raised a quivering hand over the orange tabby. "I WILL BE YOUR BEST FRIEND, SMALL CAT!" He almost whispered. Then he ran his fingers across the kitten's back. He looked up in shock. "SANS!" He cried. "SANS! THEY'RE SO FLUFFY!"

"Yup." Sans nodded. Frankie looked up to see him grinning.

"SANS! LOOK! THE SMALL CATS LOVE ME!" The little tortoiseshell and orange tabby kittens were playing with the ends of Papyrus' scarf, and rubbing their heads against his elbow. The adventurous tortoiseshell managed to climb up on to Papyrus's shoulder. "THEY HAVE CHOSEN ME!" Papyrus cried. "I AM NOW THEIR FRIEND!"

"They're yours if you'd like." Frankie said.

"WHAT?!" Papyrus looked up, his eyes wide, "DO YOU REALLY MEAN IT?!"

"Sure, Paps, the kittens need new homes. If you want those two and you're up to it you can have-"

"WOWIE! THANK YOU, I LOVE THEM!"

"What are you going to call them, Papyrus?" Frankie asked.

"CALL THEM?"

"They're gonna need names." Frankie nodded. Papyrus looked down at the two kittens he was stroking with a frown.

"NYEEEEEEH...…. THIS ONE I SHALL CALL SPAGHETTI!" He raised up the orange tabby so that Sans could see. "AND… THIS ONE…?"

"What goes good with spaghetti?" Frankie frowned.

"MEATBALLS! THIS ONE I SHALL CALL MEATBALLS!" He pointed to the tortoiseshell happily.

"Spaghetti and Meatballs! Those are awesome names. You'll have to get name tags for them so they don't get lost!" Frankie said.

"NAMETAGS?"

"Alright, Papyrus. Maybe we should go to the pet store and get everything you need. And while we're there Frankie can tell you all about how to take care of the cats."

"DO WE HAVE TO LEAVE MEATBALLS AND SPAGHETTI HERE?!" Papyrus asked.

"Yeah. They can stay here while we're gone and when we come back you can take them home." Frankie said.

"OH!" Papyrus looked excitedly at the kittens he was playing with. "I MUST GO NOW, MY SMALL CATS! BUT FEAR NOT! I SHALL RETURN SOON AND THEN YOU CAN COME TO MY HOUSE!" He pulled both of the kittens into a hug, and then stood up to follow Frankie and Sans to the pet store. "THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME SOME OF YOUR SMALL CATS, FRANKIE! I LOVE THEM!" He cried happily.

* * *

Frankie was sad to see Spaghetti and Meatballs go, but he was happy he'd be able to see them again. And Papyrus sure loved his small cats, almost more than anything else.

"Heya, kiddo." Sans came to stand by the window, and watch as Papyrus slipped the little animal crate into his car, and sped off. "How are you doing?"

"Fine. I'm glad Papyrus will have them now. I'll get to see them."

"Yup. I just got off the phone with Toriel. She says that she and Asgore and Frisk will bring over a pot pie for dinner and Frisk can pick a cat if they want one."

"Cool! What about Alphys and Undyne?" Frankie smiles.

"Alphys and Undyne... ? Oh right. I'll call them right now. How's that?"

"Okay…" Frankie sighed. He'd miss his little cats. When Sans got off the phone with Undyne he gave Frankie a small hug.

"They say they'd love a cat. They'll be here any minute to pick one out. So you'll get to visit all your little cats whenever you want. Okay, kiddo?"

"Alright!" Frankie was a little more excited about it now. At least Justice's kittens wouldn't be going to strangers. He felt happy knowing that the small cats would be taken care of. Alphys and Undyne arrived only ten minutes after Sans had gotten off the phone with them. Undyne nearly kicked the door down when she burst in.

"HEY PUNKS!"

"H-hi!" Alphys followed more cautiously, but she looked excited. Frankie knew that she was the one who really wanted the cat.

"Heya." Sans grinned. "Where are the small cats, Frank?"

"Probably in my room." Frankie led Undyne and Alphys to his room. The two remaining small cats were sleeping with their mother on his bed.

"Aww! Th-they're really cute!" Alphys grinned, rushing over to pet the kittens.

"They're actually… pretty adorable." Undyne frowned.

"Which one do you want?" Sans asked.

"Ohh… I r-really like the w-white one." Alphys said.

"She's yours if you want." Sans said. Frankie sighed. This one was one he had formerly called Fluff. Now it would get a different name. He hoped Alphys and Undyne would pick a good one. Fluff was a pretty little girl cat, mostly white, with splashes of orange and black here and there. All the kittens were long haired like their mother.

"Oh she's adorable!" Alphys smiled. "What sh-should we c-call her, Undyne?" Alphys pulled the little kitten into her arms.

"Oh… uh… I don't know. What should we call her?" Undyne reached out to stroke the kitten. She smiled a little. "She's very soft."

"Ooh! I know. L-look, she looks like Sushi, d-don't you th-think?" Alphys held out the little cat. Frankie had no idea what Sushi was, but Sans chuckled, and Undyne seemed to agree, so he figured it was a fitting name for Fluff.

"Sushi it is…" Alphys grinned. "We should go to the pet store and get her the things she needs. A nice collar! A food bowl!"

"Sushi. I like it! Okay. We can come back and get her?" Undyne asked.

"Sure. Anytime." Sans nodded. After Alphys and Undyne left to go to the pet store, Frankie spent the next couple of hours playing and saying goodbye to his little Fluff.

* * *

Undyne and Alphys were back later, as promised, to take Sushi home. Alphys had went all-out and bought all sorts of things for her little princess. A fancy collar, two ceramic bowls for water and food, and a lot of cat toys. Frankie sadly said goodbye to the third kitten, and all that remained was Fuzz- a dark tabby boy. If Frisk wanted a cat, Fuzz would have to be it. Frankie wondered if Justice would be sad without her babies. But maybe sometime she could visit them, or they could all come visit her. Fuzz didn't really seem to miss his siblings, he was cuddling with his mother on the Sans' bed.

"You gonna be okay, kiddo?" Sans stood in the doorway to his messy room. Frankie looked up from where he lay stroking the two cats.

"Yeah… I guess… when are Frisk and Toriel and Asgore gonna get here?"

"Any minute now, I think." Sans replied. "I'm sure Frisk will love to see… Poof?"  
"Fuzz, Sans." Frankie sighed. "Yeah. I bet they'll really like him. I wonder what they'll call him."

"I bet they'll call him something really great."

"Yeah!" There's suddenly a knock on the door. "I bet that's them! I'll go get it!"

Sans followed Frankie out into the living room, where Frankie pulled open their door to reveal Asgore, Toriel, and Frisk.

"Why, hello!" Toriel smiled. She was holding a large pot pie.

"Howdy, there, Frankie, Sans." Asgore nodded.

 _FRANKIE._ Frisk signed happily. They hugged him tightly. _How are you doing?_

"I'm alright. I'm sad that I have to give away the small cats."

 _You'll get to visit them whenever you want._ Frisk signed.

"I know. I'll just miss them, that's all." Frankie replied. They all came into the house, Toriel hurrying to take her pie to the kitchen, and Asgore and Sans sitting in the living room. Frankie led Frisk to Sans' room where Fuzz and Justice slept happily on Sans' unmade bed.

 _He's so fluffy._ Frisk picked up the small cat, holding him tightly in their arms. They hurried out to the living room, Frankie assumed to show Asgore and Toriel the little cat that they would soon be calling their own.

"Oh!" Toriel smiled as Frisk tried to shove the small cat into her arms. "Is this the little one we might be taking home?"

"Yeah." Frankie nods. "I call him Fuzz, but you can name him whatever you'd like." Toriel gently took the little cat from Frisk. The little tabby seemed content to curl up in Toriel's lap.

"What are you going to call him, Frisk?" Asgore asked.

Frisk looked thoughtful, and then signed: _Toast._

"Toast?" Toriel frowned. "Why?!" Sans was laughing. Frankie snorted.

 _Because. Just… Toast._

"Well." Asgore frowned. "Toast it is, then. I suppose." Frisk nodded firmly.

* * *

That evening, Frankie crawled into bed sad and happy all at once. He would miss his small cats tonight- they always slept on his bed. But they had new homes, new places to explore. Despite the fact that they wouldn't be with him that evening, Frankie was happy because he knew that he'd be able to see them all- Spaghetti, Meatballs, Sushi, and Toast- again very soon.

* * *

 **REVIEWS FOR CHAPTER SIXTEEN:**

 **Mr. Indigo:** I wonder, will Sans give the humans harassing Riley a bad time? I hope so, cause I really want Sans to give someone a bad time!

 _Yesss, soon. *cough* chapter eighteen *cough*_

 **Fan Girl:** HOLYSHITTHATISAWESOME  
WHEN FRANK BEAT THIS BRAT I WAS SMILING LIKE AN IDIOT FOR LIKE AN HOUR.  
AND SANS' REACTION IS JUST PRICELESS OMFG MY TWO MARSHMALLOWS

 _YES! :D They are our marshmallows! 3_

 **I guest as much:** Another great update! I really thought that Wren's dad was going to be Brendan's family, but I'm glad it turned out the way it did, and I'd love to see some art for this story! The cover is one of the things that initially "drew" me to this story in the first place. Also, I wasn't expecting Brendan to go after Wren, though it makes sense, it's a good thing Frankie beat him to the punch.

 _Thanks so much for this review! This was one of the bigger reasons as to why we decided to start up a blog. No one else mentioned it, but I guess it only takes one person to inspire. That all by itself is inspiring! :D Thanks again!_

 **GenuineGreenTea:** this has been by far my favorite chapter! And I think Brendan got what he deserved.

 _Yes! He did, for sure, and I don't think he'll be coming back! Get DUNKED on!_

 **GalifreyanDemiWizard:** Ohmygosh this story is awesome! THE CAT HAS MULTIPLIED! I immediately got what Paps was yelling about! You write the charactors so well! If you needa shorten my name just say wizard, kay? And could you add a kid for me at school? Thanks!

 _Heya! Thanks so much for the review! I'm so glad you like this story! :D As far as I can tell there aren't going to be any more school scenes. I'm sorry!_

 **Thanks so much for all the reviews it's great to hear from you all! :D**

 **-mariahills_capsicle**


	18. Chapter 18: Bad Time

**Behold! The moment you've all been waiting for: CHAPTER EIGHTEEN.**

 **Or is this the moment you've been waiting for? Mayhaps by reading it you will find that you've changed your mind...**

 **Almost sorry,**

 **mariahills-capsicle**

 **PS. We've started up a blog on tumblr! We'll be making our first post tomorrow. Come check it out at fractured-tale . tumblr . com**

 **Augh- I think that fixes the link thing.**

* * *

It was Saturday- six days after the kittens had gone to new homes. Frankie was playing in the living room with Mr. Rails and Sir Barkley. Sans was watching the News.

"People have, of course, become concerned about the movement known as Red X. The reason being their actions have come to not only affect the lives of monsters, but those of humans as well. Even former Anti-Monster groups have changed their opinions in order to fight for peace." Sans groaned inwardly. This was terrible. These Red X people, they really hated monsters that much? Hurting humans just to get to monsters? It was disgusting. Well, what was he to expect when the whole thing was disgusting to begin with?

A policeman appeared on screen. "We're all quite concerned about Red X, though they weren't very high on our list of concerns before. This group has become more of a cult than protesters. Our department has dealt with arson, theft, destruction of property, bullying and attempted murder all connected to that symbol- the red x. And I'm not just talking about against monsters. These people are insane. They will not hesitate to hurt 'one of their own' if it means that in the long run they'll be hurting a monster. Their actions have gone from protesting monster rights, to protesting monster existence. It's immoral, and unlawful. We will no longer tolerate these people's destructive actions." Sans flicked off the TV. _Good. At least that's one anti-monster group taken care of… hopefully._ He knew Red X had threatened Riley. It hurt him to think about it. If they touched her, or anyone else in his family… No. They wouldn't. Nothing was going to happen. Red X wasn't going to touch them, Sans would make sure of it.

"Heya, kiddo." He smiled at Frankie. "What do you want to do today?"

"Oh… I dunno." Frankie sighed. Sans frowned. _Hmm…_

"I know! How'd you like to go visit Luis?"

"Oh! Yeah! That'd be fun." Frankie grinned enthusiastically.

"Okay, I'll call and see if it's alright." Sans said. He watched the little boy, playing more excitedly with his toys. _Papyrus…_ He remembered his little brother, sitting in the living room of their home. Their father was away, working. Sans had to watch Papyrus. " _Look, Sans! I made a block tower!_ " " _Wow!"_ Now, Papyrus had grown tall… Sans had never imagined he'd be doing that same thing again, watching his- _mine? Where did that come from?-_ little skele-child playing with toys in his living room.

 _I wonder how tall Frankie will be when he's all grown up?_ He thought with a little chuckle, as he goes to grab his phone.

* * *

"And I'm gonna tell him all about Justice and her kittens, and how Undyne and Alphys, and Papyrus, and Frisk all have kittens now! Four kittens, Sans!"

"Yup. That sounds like a plan, kiddo." Sans chuckled. They were walking through downtown towards Luis' house. Frankie was skipping happily, sometimes trotting ahead of Sans, sometimes pausing and falling behind. "And I'm gonna tell him about school, and how Frisk is my bestest friend in the whole world- besides you, Sans! You're my bestest friend and then Frisk. And I'll tell him about Ella, and Wren, and how they're my friends too! And! I'm gonna tell him about how Sir Barkley's has become good friends with, Mr. Rails."

"Rails is definitely a good name for it." Sans nodded.

"Sans, Rails is a Mr. not an it." Frankie corrected, as he skipped backwards, facing the older skeleton.

"I'm sure Grandpops would really like to hear all about that." Sans said. "Maybe we should stop and get him a little present."

"Yeah! What should we get him?" Frankie turned to walk with Sans, taking his hand in his own.

"Well…" They were passing by a few shops, and so Frankie tried to find inspiration from the window displays. _What does Grandpops like? He makes great toys. Maybe…_ They were passing by the big antique store now, and looking in the window Frankie saw the most perfect gift. _Grandpops loves roses!_ In the display window sat a vase with a beautiful decorative wooden rose. It was sanded and shone beautifully. He hurried to the window, and pressed his hand against it.

"That one, Sans."

"The Rose?" Sans frowned.

"Yeah!"

"Alright." Sans shrugged. "I'll run in and get it. Why don't you wait right here? I'll only be a second."

"Okay!" Frankie was happy to sit on the bench outside of the antique shop, swinging his legs, and watching people walk by. Sans had just hurried into the store when Frankie saw a particular group of people who caught his attention. They were heading across the street towards him. All adults, mostly males but some females, probably about five or six of them. They all wore hoodies, hiding their faces. Some wore masks. People avoided them on purpose, as if they knew who they were and were frightened by them. That was when Frankie noticed the baseball bat one held, and how they seemed… to be staring right at him…

He stood slowly, a little frightened. Who were these people? Why were they coming this way? _It's just…_ But he had no explanation. His mind was screaming, _Run! Run!_ And it was only a matter of seconds before his legs obeyed. He ran, heading down the street, away from the antique shop, away from Sans. The group of humans ran after him, and their longer legs were bringing them closer and closer. Frankie gasped for air, and choked on tears. _Why are they after me?!_ But he didn't dare stop or turn around. He had to keep running, but it wouldn't be long before they caught up to him. There was only one other option. _I have to lose them._

Up ahead there was a turn, a backstreet probably. He'd be able to shake them by making a few turns in there, and at least make it back to Sans. Sans would be able to help. So, he sped around the corner with high hopes, and in an instant they were shattered. He came face to face with a wall. It was a dead end, there was no escape. _Idiot! Idiot!_ He screamed at himself. He should have gone into the shop. _I should have stayed with Sans!_

He heard his pursuers approaching slowly behind him. So he wiped away his tears, stood tall, and turned to face them.

"We've finally found you, you little freak." Said the one with the baseball bat.

"What do you want with me?" Frankie whispered.

"You're one of them. You don't belong up here, and you certainly don't belong in any position that allows you to stand up to one of us!" Hissed another. "You're nothing but trash! This is our home! This is our land!"

"You're all unjust for doing these terrible things!" Frankie replied. "It is our right to have a say! We're just like humans! We feel just like you. Why do you want to hurt me?"

"You broke my son's _jaw!_ You're a freak! You're dangerous!"

"I- You're… you're Brendan's dad… I'm sorry, I didn't want to hurt Brendan, but… he was hitting me and my friend and calling us names. I had to stand up for myself, and everyone else he hurt. It was wrong… it wasn't…"

"Enough talk! Are we going to kill the freak or what?!" Someone shouts. Frankie's eyes widen. _Should have stayed with Sans._ His hands ball into fists and a yellow glow surrounds them.

"Stand back! You don't… you don't know what you're dealing with!"

Brendan's dad took another step forward, raising the bat high in the air. "You deserve what's coming to you kid." He hissed and then he swung with all his might. Frankie raised his arms up to protect his skull. There was a sharp CRACK! Excruciating pain shot up Frankie's arm and he screamed in agony. The rest of the humans converged on him, kicking him, beating him. None of the pain was enough to overcome that from the first blow. Tears streamed down Frankie's cheekbones, and his pleading fell on deaf ears. He cradled his arm, and fell to his knees, trying best to protect his skull at the same time. His vision was blurred from the tears. He couldn't see, but he felt…. oh, he felt…

Then, like some sort of brilliant ray of hope, someone- a familiar figure- appeared at the end of the alley. Frankie had just enough strength left to cry out one more time.

"Frankie?!" Sans called out.

"DAD!"

* * *

When Sans exited the antique shop with the wooden rose safely wrapped in tissue in a little bag, he looked around expectantly for Frankie. Upon finding that the little boy was nowhere in sight, he panicked.

"Frankie?! Frankie!" He half expected the skele-child to leap out from behind some corner. " _Look what I found Sans!"_ But there was no response. "Miss!" Sans spoke to a woman passing by. "Please, help me, I'm looking for my…" She passed by without a second glance. _Oh god. Where is he?!_ "Sir! Please! I'm looking for my s-"

"Get out of my way." The man said gruffly, pushing him aside. _Oh god._

"Frankie! Frankie!" He ran down the street, looking down alley ways as he called out Franklin's name. "Frankie?!"

"DAD!"

 _Frankie._ Down the alley way before Sans, the small skeleton was huddled on the ground, above him stood about five or six dark figures, their black jackets emblazoned with a red x. Everything around Sans stopped. Red X… Sans' fear and worry quickly turned into rage.

All of their backs were turned. Sans' eyes go black as he raises a palm over to them, turning their souls blue. The leader lets out a cry of alarm as they're all dragged to the ground, gravity increasing on them. After they gather what was happening, they manage to stand against the downward pull, turning to face Sans.

"Heya, Fellas. What's the matter? Y'look a little _down_." Sans sneers, the lack of pupils in his eyes seem to unnerve the group of miserable creatures in front of him. The leader staggers forward, a metal bat in his hand.

"So- you're that little scum's dad?" _He called me dad…_ Sans nods.

"That's right. And you'd better step away from him or-"

"Or what?!" The man crows, raising his bat.

" _Or you're gonna have a bad time._ "

With that, the man swings at Sans. The skeleton teleports out of the way, just before the bat strikes. The leader seems confused. And he's about to be even more confused. Sans raises his hand, the man flies up, and he slams his hand back down. A dull thud. A cry of pain.

All of the other humans were staring at what just happened, wide-eyed. The man growls, standing again, wiping blood away from the cut that had formed just above his eyebrow.

"You pieces of scum have no right to be here! There's a reason we trapped you underground in the first place- you freaks!" The man hissed through clenched teeth, charging at Sans again. _This is amusing._ Sans teleports again, this time, he counters with a bone attack. The bones charge at the man, hitting him dead-on. At this point, everyone else is scrambling to get away.

"You _COWARDS!_ " The leader screams after them, " _GET BACK HERE-"_ Sans stands above the man, smiling down at him, his left eye flashing. The man doesn't seem angry anymore, in fact, he looks rather afraid.

" _Red X will kill you. We'll kill your son. We'll kill your human friend, too."_ The man growls. Sans slams his hand down, the man falls.

"If you so much as _touch_ my family or friends, I'll kill _you."_ The human hisses as gravity increases further, taking his breath away, " _Understand, buddy?"_ The man doesn't respond. Sans countered by pressing the human down further. There was a sharp crack. The man screamed.

" _Yes! Yes. I u-understand!"_ Pleased, Sans lets the man go, he limps away, cursing out loud. Sans' rage melts away and turns immediately into blinding fear. _Frankie!_ Sans runs over to the kid, who lay on the ground, holding his arm tightly against his chest.

"Frankie!" Sans crouches down, pulling Frankie into his arms. _He's not moving…_ "Frankie! Frankie, c'mon buddy. C'mon buddy- wake up!" Sans shakes him gently. No response.

" _Frankie. Frankie, C'mon…"_ The little skeleton lies limp in his arms, Sans clutches the kid tighter, tears welling in his eye sockets.

 _Frankie… Please wake up…_

* * *

 **REVIEWS FOR CHAPTER SEVENTEEN:  
**

 **Mr. Indigo:** It makes me so happy that Sans is going to give someone a bad time! I'm so excited! *Does a little jig*

 _ARE YOU STILL HAPPY? Sorry... just... *sob*. But, YES! Give those jerks a bad time, Sans!_

 **KittenRainbow:** Normally, I've been a silent reader who has enjoyed this story very much, but one aspect of chapter seventeen really threw me off to the point where I felt obligated to review. :D

And now, here it is:

ALL THE KITTENS HAVE FOOD NAMES WHAT IS THIS

SPAGHETTI  
MEATBALLS  
SUSHI  
TOAST

WHAT

...  
That is all. Thank you for reading, and I very much hope to see another chapter soon! Loving this story so far! :D

 _Hehe... yeah, that was totally random. All the names kind of came at separate times after we decided Justice would have kittens and the kittens would go to each 'family'. Spaghetti and Meatballs were obvious for Papyrus. Then Sushi for Alphys and Undyne because it's Japanese I guess, and the cat looks like sushi. And then Toast because... actually I have no idea where the hell toast came from. It's been a while since we decided on it. I guess it was just kind of funny to think of Frisk just randomly naming their cat Toast._

 _Thanks so much for the review! We're so glad you like the story!  
_

 **anthonyabc268:** KITTENS LITTLE KITTENS YAY I love the food names quite clever

 _Thanks! It was actually really random and totally unintentional, but when we realized we did it we thought it was pretty hilarious._

 **HourglassMadness:** I'm so excited for chapter 18! You've been building it up so much, I can hardly wait! Thank you guys so much for writing this!

 _You still want to thank us? This chapter was pretty intense. I'm *almost* sorry. But anyways! Thanks so much for reviewing and reading! It's so great to hear from you. What did ya think of chapter 18?_

 **Guest:** Heh. I think it's hilarious that every cat got named after food. Frankies friends know whats important.

 _Hell yes. Food: A+_

 **GenuineGreenTea:** I also forgot to mention how I loved the cat justice foreshadowing Frankie's powers in ch 16.

 _Now that, I can say was intentional! Thanks! That's so awesome you mentioned that! :D_

 **I guest as much:** Another awesome update! It's a shame that the small cats are going away, but we'll be able to see them again, and the bit of everyone naming them after food made it a bit easier to digest(the mewment where Papyrus name his cats was the best). I can't wait to check out the blog, when you guys set it up, just don't forget to post a link(or the URL).

 _Aw yes! Papyrus and his small cats *are* the best! Yeah! Be sure to check it out tomorrow when we do our first post. Thanks for the great review!_

 **So uh... you all are probably really itching to see what happens next. Fear not, as per usual: Chapter Nineteen coming up in three days! Thanks for all the great reviews! We love hearing from you all! See you next time!**


	19. Chapter 19: You are my Sunshine

**Hello! I bet you all have been desperately waiting for this, huh? Heheh!**

 **Fear not! Chapter nineteen has arrived at last!**

 **-mariahills-capsicle**

* * *

Sans pulled Frankie closer to him, his vision blurred by tears, he couldn't think clearly. _He needs a doctor. He needs…_ He focused on the hospital. He knew monsters and humans were training there together in order for monsters to learn how to treat humans and humans to learn how to treat monsters. _Hospital.._ He closed his eyes, and when he opened them they were there, in the middle of the emergency room.

"Help!" He gasped. In the next moment, a nurse came rushing from the front desk. Sans couldn't focus, all he could think was _I shouldn't have left him. God, I shouldn't have left him. I'm such an idiot._

"Sir!" The nurse, who was a monster, brought him back to reality. "We need to take your son into the room down the hall. We need to get these looked at right away."

"Okay… Okay…" Another nurse had come in with a rolling bed. Sans didn't want to let go of the child, but he knew it was for the best. He gently lay Frankie down on the hospital bed. "But… I won't leave him." _The last time I did that, this happened._

"We wouldn't ask you to." Sans followed the nurse down the hall. His mind was screaming at him. _You could have prevented this! This is your fault!_ _ **Shut up! Shut up!**_

"Right in here, Sir." The nurse pushed open a large door to an examination room. "I think Dr. Brookes will be your doctor tonight, he'll be with you any minute I'm sure. I have to go attend to others in the emergency room. If you need me for anything or if he wakes up, let me know."

"Th-thank you." Sans nodded. The moment the nurse left Sans leaned over Frankie's bed, gently taking the little skeleton's left hand. Sans looked over the boy well for the first time. There were cracks all over his bones, little ones. But the worst was his right arm. His lower arm bone- the radius- was broken clean through. _Oh god. This is all my fault. This is all my fault!_ Tears filled his eye sockets again, as he squeezed Frankie's hand.

"Please, stay with me kiddo? Stay with me." He rested his skull on Frankie's hand and, in a soft, deep voice he began to sing, like he did when Papyrus was a baby. "You are my sunshine… my only… sunshine…" He chokes on tears as he sings. "You… make me happy…" _So happy._ "..when skies are gray. You'll never know…" He sobs, closing his eyes tightly. _He_ _ **will**_ _know! He will. He's gonna wake up. He's gonna be fine…_ "You'll never know, kid, how much I…love… you… please…" He can hardly sing the last words, "Please… please… don't take my sunshine… away…"

 _Frankie… Please… wake up…_ Sans wiped away tears quickly as the door swung open.

"Good afternoon!" A human doctor stepped in, he looked rather friendly. He was an older man with a graying mustache and graying hair. "I'm Doctor Brookes. Nurse Kelley told me this young man's been in a bit of trouble."

"It was Red X-" Sans began.

"Yes, we've gotten quite a few cases over the past few days." The doctor nodded. "It's terrible. But let's see…" The Doctor examined Frankie carefully, "Well, he does have quite a few little cracks in his bones, we'll bandage them up so they can't get any worse. As for this…" The doctor sighed, raising his hand above Frankie's right arm. "It's quite obvious to me your son has a compound fracture."

"A Fracture?" Sans murmured.

"See how the bone is broken clean through here? We're going to have to set it and put his arm in a cast so it doesn't move while it heals."

"Anything! Anything to make him better." Sans nods.

"We'll have you sign some paperwork, and then we'll fix him up. We're hoping he won't wake up until the bone is set, he'll feel much better after that."

"Why did he pass out?" Sans asked.

"Well, I think that it's probably his body's way of preventing him from feeling the pain. When pain's that intense our bodies defend ourselves from that pain by making us black out." Doctor Brookes smiled. "Your son is going to be just fine, sir."

 _Oh… oh, thank god._ Sans took Frankie's hand again.

"I'll be right back with the paperwork for you." Dr. Brookes nodded.

"Thank you, Doc." Sans smiled.

 _You'll never know, kid… how much… I love you..._

* * *

 _Frankie…? Frankie, please… Frankie?_ Sounds faded in and away slowly. His vision was blurry, and… his arm… oh his arm hurt. Something was wrong with his arm!

"Frankie…. please?" Someone was sitting close to him… crying…? But Frankie couldn't see yet, and he was afraid if he moved his head he'd move his arm. He knew that was probably a bad idea. "I'm sorry, kiddo, I shouldn't have… left you alone."

"Dad…" Frankie whispered. His voice was so hoarse and soft, he was afraid that Sans hadn't heard him, but he felt the older skeleton's hands squeeze around his.

"Frankie? Are you awake? Try not to move, kiddo. I'm gonna go get the doc-"

"No!" Frankie gasped, tightening his grip on Sans' hand. "You can't leave me!"

"Yeah…" Sans whispered. "Yeah, you're right." He pressed the call button for the nurse instead. "I'm sorry, kid, I shouldn't have left you alone-"

"It's not your fault." Frankie responded. "It was mine. I should have gone into the store when I saw them coming. Where are they now? They won't come back to find me, will they?" The terrible thought filled Frankie with fear.

"No." Sans said firmly. "They _won't_ be coming back." Frankie smiled, turning his head, ever so slightly, to look at Sans. He wanted to call him dad again, but… what if Sans didn't like that? Sans wasn't his dad. Frankie wasn't going to volunteer him for a position that he didn't want. The little skeleton drifted slowly off into sleep.

* * *

When Frankie woke up again he was feeling much better, his pain had lessened, and he felt more awake. There was another thing. On this right arm, there was a cast. " _You were out when they did it. I picked blue. Thought you'd like it."_ Sans had said. It was a ridiculously annoying thing that Frankie already hated. It went up past his elbow, so his arm would be in a perpetual ridiculous bend, and it curved around his hand and thumb bones, so it would be difficult to write or do really anything with his right hand. Sans informed him that his radius, a part of his lower arm bone, had been completely broken through- a fracture. The bone had been knocked out of alignment, so the doctors had to set it. A procedure which was generally terribly painful. " _Doc said your body kept you asleep to protect you from the pain."_ Sans had said. " _And that's what happened in the alley. You passed out because of the pain from your arm and…"_ There were other places where he was injured, all over. Little cracks in his bones. They would hurt, but the doctors said they would heal quickly. They were not quite so bad as his arm.

"Well, Franklin." Doctor Brookes said with a smile. He was a happy, older man, with a graying moustache and graying hair. "We want to keep you here for a couple of nights, just to make sure the little breaks in your bones begin to heal properly. Besides that, you should be fine."

"What about my… arm? You said it's fractured."

"It is." The doctor nodded. "But don't worry. With the right care, fractures will heal. You're on your way to that already!"

"Thanks, Doc." Sans said.

"I'll have the nurse bring in your lunch."

"Doctor Brookes?"

"Yes, young sir?" The doctor turned around with a little grin.

"Will you sign my cast?" Frankie held out his arm. The human doctor looked surprised, but he nodded.

"Sure!"

"Thanks for helping me get better."

"Anytime, kid. There may be people out there who want to hurt you folks, but they're wrong. You're a strong person, Frankie. When you grow up, you go out there and fight them." The doctor signed his name with a big smiley face, and then hurried on. Frankie looked over at Sans with wide eyes.

"Did he really mean it? I should go and fight the bad guys?"

"Well, I don't think he meant literally _fight_ them." Sans replied.

"How can I fight them, but not fight them…?" Frankie asked.

"Well, you can fight their bad deeds by doing good ones, by helping monsters."

"How?"

"Well… lots of ways." The nurse came in with Frankie's lunch. "You could… be an ambassador for monsters… you could… be a lawyer-"

"What's a lawyer?"

"Someone who fights for the rights of others." Sans replied, "...in short."

"Hmm…" Frankie frowned, but dropped the subject to dig into his lunch. Sans was quiet for a minute, but then coughed a little and said,

"Umm… Frankie… we need to talk."

"What is it?" Frankie looked up from his grilled cheese.

"In… in the alley way you called me 'dad'."

"Oh!" Frankie looked down at his hands with a sigh. "I… I'm sorry. I just…"

"Do you see me as that, Frankie? Do you see me as your dad?" Frankie wasn't sure what the right answer was in this situation, so he decided to go with the truth.

"...yes…" Sans stared up at him for a moment longer and then smiled. "I get it." Frankie sighed. "You don't want to be my dad. I'm-"

"What? No. Kiddo, look at me." Frankie looked over at Sans. "I love you, you're an amazing kid. I'd… be honored to call you my son." Frankie couldn't believe it. "We can make it official now. I'll go get some adoption papers, today if you want." Frankie could only stare. Sans. Sans wanted to be his dad. Was this a dream? "Frankie? What do you think?" Frankie wrapped his arms around Sans and pulled him into a tight hug, trying to hold back tears.

"I think, you're my hero, _dad._ " He whispered.

* * *

 **REVIEWS FOR CHAPTER EIGHTEEN:**

 **Midnightsalem:** Uhh.. whats the blog? The site saw what you put as a link and deleted it. But anyways, another great chapter!

 _Sorry! The moment I saw your review I went in and I think I fixed it by adding spaces in between the words and such._

 **Emerald and Lazulite:** Okay, love the story right now, though Frankie better not be dead.

 _Awesome! Glad you like it._

 **GaleForceSinger:** This is not h

 _I'm not sure if you meant to just send that but I get what you're trying to say. That chapter was just... not. So I hope this chapter helped. :)_

 **anthonyabc268L:** Shut just got real and AAAAAAHhhhhhh Frankie oh my God I thought sans was actually going to kill him and yes yes My intuition was correct hehehe I'm awesome you guys are awesome I am just in love with this story and how you even respound to the reviews u are awesome

 _Aww! You *are* awesome! Thanks so much for all the reviews they're great! I saw someone, early on when I first joined this site, reply to reviews this way and I thought it was the best thing ever. It's great for everyone to be able to see your responses, especially when other people might have similar questions._

 **MechaSniper51:** Translation:no wonder chara hate humanity

 _Hehe. Yes, I suppose this is definitely probably part of it..._

 **TranscendentalNerd:**  
Oh man, I was so excited for this chapter. As soon as I saw 'Bad Time', I was sold. I love this chapter (as all the others) and seeing Sans give the Red X's a Bad Time and kick Brendan's Dad's ass was really satisfying. I just hope Frankie doesn't die, although I have a really Bad Feeling he does. If he does, that would leave Sans quite...  
BONEly.  
I'm so sorry.  
Anyway, keep up the good work guys!

 _And there will be more Bad Times to come, you can count on it. At least one more._

 _*gasp* How could you ever think we'd kill of that sweet darling cinnamon roll?! No. Sans has been through too much already. And Frankie... he's too wonderful._

 _Thanks! I hope you enjoyed this chapter as well._

 **HourglassMadness:** I'm happy that Red X got a bad time, but there's one thing thats bothering me... FRANKIE! He's gonna be alright, right? I get the feeling that Red X is going to get a whole new definition of "having a Bad Time" added forcefully to their personal dictionaries...

 _Yes... Frankie... I think this chapter provided you with an answer. He's going to be just fine! Lots of healing to do, but he's a strong kiddo._

 **The Ivory Panda:** You have no clue how excited I get whenever I get an alert in my email, hoping it a new Fractured chapter.  
Awesome chapter btw!

 _Aww! Thanks so much!_

 **Shadefeather682:** *panicked screaming*

 _mmm... yeah, pretty much. Hehe... It's going to be okay..._

 **DragonMaster456:** WHY MUST U DO THIS TO ME

 _THE QUESTION IS WHY MUST WE DO THIS TO OURSELVES?! (but seriously, I'm almost sorry. I hope this chapter makes you feel better. :D )_

 **Guest:** Sans should have used a gaster blaster on his ass.

 _Yes, he should have. That'll come later, I'm sure. Much later..._

 **GenuineGreenTea:** FRANKIE NOOO... I totally saw the fight coming but I didn't think Frankie would get hurt this badly. Really looking forward to chapter 19

 _Yeahh... Poor little skele-child! :( Don't worry! He's going to get better fast! :D_

 **OC ATTACK:** Really...?I'm grinning from this chapters awesomeness but at the same time I want to send my most powerful OCs to attack you because of the cliffhanger. Seriously my OCs are right behind me with their powers charged up. Oh, one of them wants to speak with you. (Is this the first time OCs have been sent after you BTW?)Anyway, go ahead and talk, Chaos. *One OC steps forward*

Chaos: Hello...You should probably upload the next chapter...and Frankie be Be Okay...  
*He raises his hand to attack and dark mist swirls around* *Another runs forward and pulls his hand down*  
Spyro: Hey!Chaos, you don't need to do that!*Turns to author* But I will NOT stop him next time if Frankie is hurt very badly...*Eyes Darken* I might even give you a Bad Time Myself...

Ok so BTW I really like your story. But trust me, if anything bad happens to Frankie...*The air gets very cold and you suddenly can't move* You'll Regret it.

Is that the first time OCs have attacked you?

 _oKAY! Holy crap. That's intense. Uhh... I hope this chapter appeased you and your OCs. :)  
I could never, ever do anything to hurt Frankie... I mean not anything worse than this. Nope. He's too precious. _

_And yes, that is most certainly the first time I have ever been attacked by OCs._

 **I guest as much:** That update was intense(awesome)! I can't wait for chapter nineteen. I can say I wasn't X-pecting that to happen, but that is exactly how I can imagine Sans would handle the situation. I hope Frankie gets better soon, but I'm kind of happy Brendan's dad didn't understand the gravity of the situation at first, otherwise we might not have gotten to see him get dunked on. I'l definitely check out the blog tommorow, when you update!

 _Thanks! Yes, I think Brendan's dad has certainly learned his lesson. Awesome! We're going to try and update that blog often, because we have lots of drawings. But... a lot of the drawings have spoilers for upcoming chapters... So... we'll see what we can dig up for you all. :)_

 **Anonymous:** I'm just gonna say: I hated this story at first. I thought Frankie finding Sans was an overused plot device. However, you turn this into so much more than that. I love the way Sans is reacting to being a dad and FRANKIE IS ADORABLE OMG! You are quite obviously a brilliant writer! Keep up the good work! I really enjoyed this story!

 _Wow! I have to say, I admire you for sticking with us, even though you didn't like it at the beginning. I will admit that I've been guilty of reading the first chapter of a story, hating it, and completely giving up on it. So, kudos to you for not doing what I would do. I'm glad you like the story now! Thank you sooo much._

 **Holy crap, guys. What a lot of reviews! This is great and so encouraging. It's wonderful to hear from you all! Thanks soooo much for the encouragement! We'll see you again on the next chapter!**

 **-mariahills-capsicle**


	20. Chapter 20: Storytime

_The dark alley way closed in around him. At first, he thought he was alone, but paranoia ripped at his soul. Something was wrong. Someone was coming. They stood above him, laughing maniacally, appearing as though they were shadows stepping out from the walls. "Get away!" He screamed, his fists engulfed in yellow. "GET AWAY FROM ME!" And still they came closer, laughing, swearing._

 _Hello, freak… What have you to say for yourself… His dream taunted him. With bats raised high, the masked humans converged on him, throwing rocks, beating him._

 _Kill him. Destroy him…_

" _STOP! STOPPP!" He screamed, he pleaded, yet there was no break from the agony, "please…. You're…."_

" _Frankie! FRANKIE!"_

He shot out of sleep, still thrashing about wildly, screaming. Someone was holding onto his shoulders. "LET GO OF ME! GET OF ME!"  
"Frankie…!" He yanked himself free, his fists blazing yellow.

"DON'T TOUCH ME!" He sat there in his bed, trying to remember where he was, trying to stop shaking, stop crying. "I can't… I…" He was in the hospital… that was right. And… Dad…. He looked over to his left where Sans was standing, worried. "Dad…" His yellow magic slowly disappearing.

"I'm here, kiddo. I'm right here." But he didn't move to touch Frankie. The little skeleton burst into sobs, hugging his knees tightly, trying to reassure himself that everything was going to be fine. His dad was here, he was never going to see those bad people again. No one was going to hurt him. Not while he was with Sans… and still he couldn't stop shaking… he couldn't stop thinking that…  
"Dad…" He let go of his knees, and through his tears reached out to hold Sans. The older skeleton let out a sigh of relief and pulled Frankie into his arms.

"It's alright, Frankie… shh… it's alright…"

"No… No it's not." He cries harder, gripping his dad's shirt tightly. "They're coming for me. I know they are. They want to kill me!"

"No, Frankie. No. I won't let them touch you." Frankie's breathing slowed to normal as he held on tightly to his father.

"Do you want some water?" Sans said, pulling away gently. "I'll get you so-"

"NO!" Frankie held on to him tighter, "No! You can't leave me, you can't leave me alone… Please, Dad, I'm… I'm scared…" Sans' eyes widen.

"Okay, kiddo, I promise. I'm not going anywhere."

* * *

The next morning Papyrus came to visit. Frankie wanted to see everyone, so that's who Sans had called- everyone. Of course, everyone was horrified to hear that Frankie was in the hospital, they all scheduled times to visit. Papyrus chose early morning. It was before his cooking classes, which worked out perfectly. Toriel, Asgore, and Frisk would be coming in the afternoon after school, and Alphys and Undyne would be coming around Lunch time.

After Frankie finished his breakfast he lay on his bed, trying to tap a rhythm on the railing, humming along. _Poor kiddo must be bored out of his mind._

"Do you want me to find something for you to do, Frankie? I could go look for some-"

"No!" Frankie cried. Sans was taken aback.

"What? Why n-?"

"Y-you, can't l-leave." The little boy actually looked terrified. "You c-can't leave me…" Tears had begun to fill Frankie's eyes. _Oh no…_

"It's okay, Frankie!" Sans stood, pulling his son into his arms. "I'm not going to leave, okay?" So, Sans called a nurse and asked for someone for Frankie to do. When she returned with crayons and paper Frankie began drawing as best he could with the terribly large cast on his arm. Sans didn't have much else to do, so he watched as his son's _(oh how that word still made him smile),_ creativity spilled out onto the page. It didn't take Sans long to figure out what Frankie was drawing. Little yellow lines turned into a square which turned into a house with little black windows, and front steps. Green scribbles became grass. Black was used to draw heads and arms and legs, and soon Frankie was holding up a family portrait proudly for his dad to see.

"Look!" He said. "I drew our family."

"Wow!" Sans took the drawing and fought a terrible battle to not shed tears.

"See!" Frankie pointed with his left arm. "There's Me, you, Justice, Papyrus, Toriel, Frisk, Alphys, Undyne, Asgore, and Riley."

"Frankie, this is a great drawing. I think you got the colors just right and…" Above Papyrus Frankie had written in red: NYEH HEH HEH! Sans grinned. "I love Papyrus' speech bubble-" Just as he said these words the tall skeleton joined them in the room. He seemed almost in a panic.

"FRANKIE! WHEN SANS CALLED I WAS SO WORRIED! HOW ARE YOU FEELING?"

"I'm alright now, Papyrus." Frankie replied. "Actually," He looked over at Sans with a grin. "I'm glad you came. I was beginning to feel a little _bonely._ " Sans laughed out loud. _This kid is my son._ He thought proudly.

"No." Papyrus whispered. "NO! SANS! YOU'VE…! NO! THIS IS A NIGHTMARE! YOU'VE INJURED HIM BEYOND REPAIR!" Sans was laughing too hard to reply.

"No, really. I'm alright, Papyrus." Frankie smiled. "I've never been better."

"OH! GOOD!" Papyrus reached out and hugged Frankie tightly. _Ooh. Ouch._ Sans thought.

"Ow.. ow! Okay!" Frankie gasped.

"Careful, Paps." Sans frowned. "Frankie has a few cracked bones."

"OH DEAR!" Papyrus gasped. He quickly released Frankie from his grasp, "DON'T WORRY. I BROUGHT YOU A PRESENT TO CHEER YOU UP!" Papyrus pulled from his scarf a few pieces of rolled up paper.

"What's that?" Frankie asked.

"I WROTE YOU A STORY!"

"What?" Sans was a little skeptical, but he was sure whatever Papyrus wrote would be enough to cheer Frankie up.

"CAN I READ IT TO YOU?!" Papyrus looked extremely excited.

"Sure!" Frankie nodded happily. Papyrus cleared his throat.

"AHEM! ONCE UPON A TIME THERE WAS A TALL SKELETON WHO WAS VERY GREAT AND HE LOVED TO MAKE THE BEST OF ALL PASTAS."

"That's you." Sans said with a nod.

"SANS! DON'T SPOIL THE STORY."

"Oops… sorry."

"SEE, I DREW A LITTLE PICTURE OF THE VERY HANDSOME SKELETON RIGHT HERE." Papyrus held out the picture for Frankie to see. The little skeleton grinned.

"That's so cool, Papyrus."

"I KNOW. NOW! BACK TO THE STORY. THE SKELETON HAD A BROTHER WHO WAS SHORT, AND LAZY, BUT STILL ALRIGHT."

"Gee, thanks." Sans chuckled.

"SANS! WOULD YOU JUST-"

"Okay, I'm done. Sorry." Sans sighed.

"THE GREAT SKELETON'S BROTHER FOUND A LITTLE SKELE-CHILD ONE DAY, AND THE SKELE-CHILD BECAME GOOD FRIENDS WITH THE GREAT SKELETON." Papyrus held out another illustration for Frankie to see. Whatever the picture was of (Sans guess it was probably Papyrus, Frankie, and himself), it made Frankie smile.

"THE SKELE-CHILD ALSO LOVED SPAGHETTI. THIS MADE THE GREAT SKELETON SO HAPPY! (SEE, LOOK, FRANKIE! THE GREAT SKELETON IS VERY HAPPY.)"

"Yes! I love the drawings, Papyrus, they're very good."

"THE SKELE-CHILD GAVE THE GREAT SKELETON TWO VERY SMALL, VERY GOOD FRIENDS: SPAGHETTI AND MEATBALLS." Papyrus held up another picture.

"Aww! It's the kittens!" Frankie said.

"THE GREAT SKELETON LOVED THE SKELE-CHILD! HE NEVER WANTED HIM TO GET HURT, SO HE WAS VERY GLAD WHEN HE FOUND OUT HE WAS OKAY. (I ADDED THAT LAST PART JUST NOW)." Papyrus said. He held out another picture.

"AND THEY ALL LIVED HAPPILY EVER AFTER. THE END!"

"Papyrus, that's the bestest present ever!" Frankie gasped. "I love it. Is it for me to keep?"

"YES! I WROTE IT JUST FOR YOU!" Papyrus handed Frankie his full manuscript and the little skele-child pulled Papyrus into a much lighter hug.

"Thank you!" Then Frankie remembered his cast. "Hey, Papyrus. Do you wanna sign my cast?"

"OF COURSE, I DO!" Papyrus cried.

"Do you have the pens, Dad?" _Dad._ Sans smiled.

"'Course. Here yah go." He handed the small pack of sharpies to Frankie.

"WAIT?! WHAT?!" Papyrus looked completely puzzled. "DID YOU JUST CALL SANS 'DAD'?"

"Yeah!" Frankie said. "Papyrus, it's great news! Sans is going to adopt me! He's gonna be my dad forever now! Isn't it great?"

"WHAT?! WHAT?!" Papyrus looked over at Sans who shrugged, but couldn't help smiling.

"It's true, Paps. Toriel picked up the adoption forms for me this morning. I'm working on them now. Guess you're gonna be an uncle."

"AN UNCLE? AN UNCLE! AN UNCLEEEEE!" Papyrus was nearly jumping up and down. "DO YOU KNOW WHAT THIS MEANS, FRANKIE?"

"No…?" Frankie frowned.

"IT MEANS… IT MEANS YOU'VE JUST GOTTEN THE GREATEST UNCLE OF ALL TIME TO BE YOUR UNCLE!"

"You've never been an uncle before, Papyrus." Sans sighed.

"NO, BUT I ALWAYS KNEW I'D BE GREAT AT IT! PREPARE YOURSELF FOR THE BESTEST, FUNNEST, COOLEST OF ALL UNCLES!"

"I already have!" Frankie cried. "I knew all along you'd be the best!"

"NYEHHHHHH! A GENUINE COMPLIMENT! ERG!" Papyrus stood stalk still for a complete two minutes before moving again. "NYEHHH! AND I KNEW ALL ALONG YOU'D MAKE A GREAT NEPHEW! BUT WAIT! NO! SANS! YOU CAN'T ADOPT FRANKIE!"

"What?" Sans frowned. "Why not?!" He looked over at his son, to see bewilderment, fear? _I'm not changing my mind, kiddo._

"YOU WON'T EVER BE ALONE AGAIN….BUT… BUT… I WILL … BE ALONE."

"No, Papyrus, don't do this."

"NYOOHOO! SANS, YOU'RE LEAVING ME ALOONNNEE!"

"Papyrus, please stop crying." Sans groaned.

"FRANKIE, SANS CAN'T BE YOUR DAD! HE'LL NEVER SEE ME AGAIN!"

"Papyrus, that's not true!" Frankie gasped. "It just means I'm going to be part of the family now!"

"The only thing that's going to change," Sans said, "Is Frankie will be calling me dad. It just means a lot, that's all."

"You can come visit our house as often as you want!" Frankie nodded, "You could come every day if you want."

"Might as well move in." Sans chuckled.

"WHAT?! REALLY?! SANS, YOU MEAN IT?!"

"Uh… wait… what?"

"Uncle Paps?! Move in with us?!" Frankie looked overjoyed. "We could have spaghetti for dinner EVERY NIGHT!"

"That's not exactly what I meant-"

"YOU'RE THE BEST BROTHER IN THE WHOLE WORLD, SANS- BESIDES ME, OF COURSE! YOU WON'T REGRET IT! I PROMISE I WON'T BURN THE KITCHEN DOWN! I PROMISE!"

"Well… Okay, I guess…" Sans frowned, still not sure what was going on.

"YES!" Frankie cried.

"OH, SANS! THIS IS GREAT NEWS!" Papyrus threw his arms around his brother happily. "I SHALL GO HOME AND START PACKING IMMEDIATELY!"

"Okay, well…" But Papyrus had already dashed out of the room, screeching about how this was a cause for celebration, or some such other nonsense. _Isn't this hilarious, Sans? The more you try and avoid attachment the more you get. Frankie, Papyrus, Riley… they'll all be ripped away from you. All your friends- old and new…._ _ **Shut up.**_ _Not a chance. You think you're safe… you think you and your friends will live happily ever after- maybe this time is finally the last time. Maybe there won't be another reset?_ _ **Shut up!**_ _Tsk! Tsk! Tsk! Poor Sans… Any moment now it could happen and all you do is grow closer and closer-_

"Dad?"

"Huh? Yeah, kiddo?" Sans looked up quickly.

"Are you alright?" Sans' son offered him a little smile.

"'Course I'm alright. I was just thinking…. With Papyrus moving in… it seems to me we're gonna have to get a bigger house…"

* * *

 _Dammit, Riley, what are you doing?!_ She was standing in front of the hospital, holding tightly to a neatly wrapped gift. Alphys and Undyne had told her about what had happened to Frankie, how the little boy had been attacked by Red X, and how Sans was at the hospital with him now. She had, in her stupidity, decided that it might be nice to visit them, and bring Frankie a present. Now, standing in front of the large double doors, she was completely regretting her decision. _I can't see them! I can't see… Sans…._ What was wrong with her?!

Sans… he was… funny, and kind, and he looked at her like she was an actual person…. But this was ridiculous. There was no way. None. It would never happen. _It's just a stupid grade-school-like crush. Get over yourself._ She took a deep breath, and stepped into the hospital. The woman at the front desk smiled at her.

"Hi, how can I help you today?"

"Yeah, I… I'm here to s-see my friends- Sans and Franklin. I think they're on the second floor, but I'm not sure which room…"

"I'll look that up for you." The woman nodded, typing away at her computer. "Alright, Frankie- he's in room 25 on the second floor. Go on up. Visiting hours end at six."

"Th-thank you." Riley smiled, though she knew the woman couldn't see it through her scarf. She took the stairs up to the second floor. It only took her a few moments to locate room 25. She hesitated before knocking quickly.

"Come in." A deep voice replied. She took a deep breath and stepped into the room. Frankie was sitting up in his hospital bed, his little table was out in front of him, and it was covered in puzzle pieces. The poor kid had little bandages here and there, and a big blue cast on his arm. Seemed as though lots of people had signed his cast already. Sans was sitting next to Frankie on a big chair. He was working through a large stack of paperwork. Riley remembered Alphys had said something about Sans adopting Frankie. She wondered if what he was working on were the adoption papers.

"Hi…" She smiled, waving.

"Hey! Riley!" Frankie gasped.

"Oh!" Sans looked up quickly. "Hey… What are you… I mean…"

"Alphys and Undyne told me about you being here, I thought I'd stop by and say hello." She shrugged.

"Cool!" Frankie grinned. "You wanna sign my cast?"

"Sure!" Riley nodded. "I… uh… brought you a little something too." She held up the little gift she'd brought.

"Awesome!" Frankie took the gift from her hands with a big grin. Sans sighed.

"What do you say, kiddo?"

"Thanks so much, Riley!" Riley gave Sans a smile, though she knew he couldn't see it. She hated this stupid scarf. She hated what it hid. He smiled back at her, and she felt her cheeks heat up. _No. Look away. Quickly! Stop staring for goodness sake-_

"Wow!" Frankie pulled from the torn up wrapping paper a beautiful picture book- all about trains. "Dad, look! It tells you all about different kinds of trains in here!"

"That's pretty neat, kiddo." Sans grinned.

"Thank you!" Frankie gasped. "I love it! I'm gonna read it right now!" He pushed the little table covered in puzzle pieces away from his bed and opened up the book in his lap. Then he frowned, "But, do you wanna sign my cast first?"

"Of course!" Riley nodded.

"Dad, do you have the pens?" Frankie asked.

"Oh. Right." Sans nodded quickly, he pulls out a handful of sharpies from his pocket, holding them out to Riley with a smile. _Riley, what the hell is wrong with you. Take a pen, now._ She reaches out and takes a green sharpie. "Nice choice." He nods, "Matches your eyes." _Did he… does he… ? My eyes?_

"You can sign right here." Frankie tapped the top of his cast.

"O-okay." Her eyes scanned over all the other signatures on his cast. First there's his doctor's signature- that's nice. Then FRISK- big letters on his hand. Toriel, and Asgore are both very neat and tidy. Undyne's handwriting is big and messy. Alphys' small and scribbled. Papyus, in big bold letters. And by Frankie's elbow: "DAD". _Aw!_ It was really cute how easily he slipped into calling Sans 'dad', and how easily Sans had accepted it. Riley leaned over and signed her name with a smiley face. " _Get well soon!"_

"Thanks, Riley!" Frankie examined her message with a smile. "And thanks again for the book it's awesome… umm… Will you read me this first part…? About…" He looked down at the book, "Steam trains?"

"Oh.. uh…" She looked over at Sans, who was grinning. "Well… Sure!" She sat down next to Frankie, taking the book from his hands and began to read, softly at first but slowly gaining confidence. She couldn't help but feel Sans watching them as she read. She silently wished he'd stop because it was making her nervous, and her cheeks were burning.

* * *

Sans sat in the corner of the hospital room, watching with a smile as Riley read Frankie the book about trains she had gotten him. The little skeleton was drifting off to sleep, holding onto Sir Barkley. _My son._ Sans grinned. Frankie was his son now, and it was his job to protect him. _Well, you're doing a great job so far, Sans!_ The voice laughed inside his head. Sans didn't respond to it. _It's your fault, you know? Frankie almost died because you weren't there to protect him._ Sans didn't respond. _And yet, somehow, he still looks up to you? It's almost sad. He called you his "hero". He called you "Dad". Man- I can't wait to enjoy your sorrow and agony when it resets._ _ **Shut up.**_ _Oh! Finally talking, huh?_ …

 _Do you think it won't reset, Sans? Is that it? Is that why you're allowing yourself to get attached?_ _ **It won't reset.**_ The voice laughs maniacally. _Are you that STUPID? Remember what happened last time you said that?! I believe that was the time when we were up here for almost 6 months, remember? And you said it wouldn't happen? Remember? Then, a week later, what happened? What happened, Sans?_ _ **I woke up in Snowdin…**_ _That's right, Sans! Good! Do you want to feel that way again? Is that it? Do you_ _like_ _the pain?_ … _**I deserve to be happy.**_ _You deserve nothing. You gave up. People who give up deserve nothing._ _ **I'm done giving up. I want to live again. I'm not going to-**_ _Will you give up again? When it resets?_ _ **No.**_ _What's so different this time? The last 4 resets, absolutely nothing happened like this. You didn't get attached. What happened?_ _ **Frankie.**_ The voice sighs.

 _He'll be gone, you know? Next reset. He won't be your son anymore. He will-_

"S-Sans? Are you okay?" A new voice spoke. Riley. He must've been spacing off.

"Uh… yeah. I'm fine. Just thinkin'." Frankie was fast asleep. Riley stood up and walked over to the bench that Sans was sitting on, sitting next to him. She seemed a bit more… jittery than usual.

"You doin' okay?" He asks her, raising a nonexistent eyebrow.

"Y-Yup! I'm fine!" She replies, kind of frantically. _Maybe she's scared about Red X… I mean, I wouldn't blame her…_ Sans glances over at Frankie sorrowfully, and then looks back at Riley, making direct eye contact. She glances away quickly,

"S-so… uhm… the weather's nice, huh?!" _The weather?_ Sans glances out the window. The sky was a light gray, little droplets of water fell at a sporadic rate, sometimes falling heavily, other times, it calms down to a light sprinkle onto the streets below.

"Riley. It's raining." Her eyes widen, and then she puts her face in her hands. _She must be really worked up about this whole Red X thing…_ He puts a hand on her shoulder,

"Hey… It's gonna be alright, okay? I don't think Red X will wanna mess with us anytime soon…" He chuckles, she glances up at him, and then to the skeletal hand on her shoulder.

"H-Heh… y-yeah…" _She seems kinda uncomfortable…_ Sans drops his hand from her shoulder.

"So I was wondering if you wanted to get some coffee or somethin' again sometime? If you're okay bein' in public and all, that is." He offers her a kind smile. Something was clearly wrong, he might as well offer her something nice.

"Y-yeah! Th-That sounds like a l-lot of fun!" Sans chuckles,

"Cool _beans_ " Eh. It was a bad one, but puns always seemed to cheer Riley up. She laughs, snorting, and then really quickly slaps a hand over her scarf where her mouth was. Sans laughs. _She's such a dork._

* * *

Riley was assured she'd see Sans again. She couldn't tell if she was looking forward to it or if she was terrified of it. When she was finally able to escape the stifling awkwardness of the hospital room she quickly made her way out of the building. _God. What is wrong with you, Riley?!_ She leaned against the brick wall just outside the doors, taking in a deep breath, trying to lower her fast heartbeat. She groaned inwardly. _Aughhh…. I really, really… like him._

* * *

 **REVIEWS FOR CHAPTER NINETEEN:  
**

 **Anonymous:** You gosh darn brilliant writer you gosh darn HIT ME RIGHT IN THE FEELS AGAIN! THE SINGING! WHY...;-; But seriously I'm super impressed with this story and the writing and the feels. ;-; Another thing: I really super like sad stories so uh this is one of my most favorites ever SINGING WHY MIST YOU TAKE MY SUNSHINE AWAY THAT WAS BRILLIANT AHAHAHAHAHAH (I am so sorry for my crazed review)

 _Awww! Thanks. I am sorry for the pain we have inflicted upon you. :)_

 **Guest:** will gaster be in this

 _I dunno. Mayhaps. *shrugs*_

 **Calmed OCs:**  
Yeah we're fine now, mostly. Except Chaos blew up a lot of my other OCs in rage of having to wait for this chapter...

I kept checking every 5 hours for a new chapter...Even at night. I set my alarm clock to wake me up every 5 hours so I could check.

Also, Spyro wants to talk to you.

Spyro: Um...G-Great chapter...I'm really glad that Frankie is Ok...Sorry about the whole...threatening to give you a bad time thing...Heh...

Chaos: Yeah, Uh...Sorry 'bout that. I don't think that anyone would approve if I destroyed you...Heh Heh...I really like the story by the way.

Yeah these guys might be showing up every chapter now in a review.

 _Thanks! That's okay with us. It's been fun meeting your OCs!_

 **I guest as much:  
** Great update, as usual. I'm happy to see Frankie is gonna get better! It's also a good thing they had that conversation, if they hadn't it might have created a crack in their relationship. I also checked out the blog, I like the updates so far! Wait a second, what if the title is not only a metaphor on the mental state of Sans and Frankie at the start of the story, but ALSO a recurring event! Based on that line of reasoning, does that mean that this will happen again?

 _*nervous laugh* Uhhh... heheh..._

 **kiwibird88:** Smol Skeleton is my sunshine :3

 _Nah, he my sunshine. 3_

 **TheSoCoolWriter:**

Mmmmmm the cuteness  
It is too strong  
Plus, FRANKIE'S OKAY!  
*You quietly mumble to yourself that those Red X members should go die in a hole.  
*Knowing that it is very much a possibility...  
*Fills you with DETERMINATION!

 _Yas!_

 **Thanks, all, so much for the awesome reviews! :)**

 **-mariahills-capsicle**


	21. Chapter 21: You Saved Me

That night Frankie didn't have nightmares that made him wake up suddenly, screaming, but the moment the lights were out he wouldn't let go of Sans' arm, terrified that if he did he would wake to find Sans gone. His dreams were dark, and they made him tremble but he never woke. Sans, unable to pry away from Frankie without the little boy waking up and protesting, fell asleep leaning against Frankie's bed.

The next morning Grandpops came to visit. Frankie had spent the morning hours after breakfast working on the puzzle Toriel, Asgore, and Frisk got him, reading the book Riley had gotten him, and playing on the little handheld game Alphys and Undyne had brought. Now he was bored. So he was glad to see Grandpops come in.

"Grandpops! What are you doing here?" Frankie gasped. The old man chuckled.

"Heard you weren't feeling too well." Grandpops replied. He gave Sans a smile and then held out a Get Well Balloon to Frankie. "Here ya go, Frankie. Thought you might like this."

"Wow! Thanks!" Frankie took it happily.

"How are you feeling, kid?" Grandpops asked.

"Much better. Look! They put my arm in a cast!" He held out his blue cast so Grandpops could see.

"That's pretty neat."

"Do you wanna sign it?!" Frankie asked.

"I'd love to." Sans, as if on queue, held out the pens for Grandpops to choose. Grandpops chose a dark blue, like Sans had, and wrote his name carefully, on the underside of Frankie's wrist.

"And… uh… I think Frankie has something for you." Sans said, as he took back the dark blue pen.

"I… do?" Frankie frowned. Oh! He had nearly forgotten the little wooden rose that Sans had gone into the antique store to buy right before… well… "Oh yeah! I almost forgot. Do you have it, Dad?" Sans pulled the rose, wrapped in a little bag and tissue paper, out from his pocket and handed it to Frankie, who handed it over to Grandpops.

"You didn't have to do this, Frankie!"

"We wanted to." Frankie replied. "You helped me, and you gave me Mr. Rails."

"Frankie picked it out." Sans said.

"Well, this is very nice of you." Grandpops said with a big smile. He carefully unwrapped the gift, from it's tissue paper, and when he pulled out the rose he stared at it for a long time. Frankie was afraid Grandpops didn't like it when he saw tears in the old man's eyes. But finally Grandpops spoke, "Why, Franklin, thank you… It's so beautiful. It reminds me of my Eleanor." Grandpops pulled Frankie into a warm hug, "I'll treasure it forever."

* * *

The next day, Frankie was released from the hospital. It also happened to be a Tuesday. So, of course, a celebratory Spaghetti Night was in order. Everyone came to Sans and Frankie's little house. Papyrus brought a ridiculously large pot of spaghetti, and Toriel made dessert- a beautiful pie. Frankie and Frisk played happily, but Frankie didn't want to leave the living room. He was afraid of being alone, without adults… without Sans.

"My dad saved me, you know." Frankie said to Frisk. "I know he did. I saw him. He saved me. He scared those bad men away."

 _SANS is strong._ Frisk nodded.

"Look at that," Frankie pointed to Riley. She was sitting right in between Sans and Alphys on the sofa, but was leaning towards Alphys, tapping her fingers nervously on her knee. "She looks really uncomfortable."

 _Weird…_ Frisk frowned. _I wonder…_

"What?"

 _No._ _It's nothing._ So Frankie shrugged and dropped the subject. They returned to their game of "War". Grandpops had introduced it to Frankie when they were in the hospital, after Frankie had given him the rose. It was a fun card game where the players had to fight to win all the cards, but it could last for a very, very long time. So far, both the little skeleton and little human were enjoying themselves.

"So… Papyrus was saying something weird the other day." Frankie overheard Undyne say. "He said he would be moving in with you and Frankie…?" Sans grinned.

"He was very distraught when I told him I was adopting the kiddo. For some reason he took it to mean that I'd never see him again. So he's moving in."

"Oh thank god." Asgore groaned. Toriel shushed him. "I am sorry, Sans, but your brother spends an exorbitant amount of my money."

"Heh… Let me guess- Pasta."

"That is not all." Asgore sighed. "All these newfangled human things- he wants to try them all. And the ads on TV- he wants to try them all."

"Yup. That sounds like Papyrus. Don't worry about that from now on, I suppose I'll take care of it." Sans shrugged.

"And I suppose it is rather nice that it will be one less house for me to worry about paying for." Asgore sighed. Toriel shushed him again. "I'm sorry, Tori. Human things are so expensive…"

"Well, about houses… there's not much room in this one for the three of us…."

"Oh dear. I suppose that's true." Toriel frowned. "We will have to get them all a bigger house. Papyrus is going to need a room."

"Oh." Asgore frowned.

"Do you hear that, Frisk? We might be moving!" Frankie, in the past year, had moved around quite a bit with his biological parents. It had always been from apartment to apartment, from better to worse. He had hated moving then. Now, however, the idea excited him. Moving now seemed like the beginning of a new life- a life he would share with his new Dad, his new Uncle.

 _That's awesome! I bet SANS will let you help pick the house. You should find one with a big backyard. Maybe we can get a play set, or… a trampoline! Or… a pool!_ Frisk grinned.

"Or all three!" Frankie cried.

While dessert was being served, after dinner was all cleaned up, everyone decided to let Frankie pick the movie. He chose one he'd never seen before, and it looked really exciting- "Planes." He settled down, leaning against his Dad, wrapped in blankets. They sat on the floor with Papyrus and Frisk. Frankie really liked the movie.

"Dad, I want to fly on a plane."

"I'm sure someday that can be arranged, kiddo." Sans nodded. Try as he might, even though the movie was really exciting, Frankie couldn't stay awake. He was exhausted. He drifted in and out of consciousness for a few moments, before passing out in his dad's lap. And they had only been about halfway through the film. What seemed like only minutes later, he blinked away to the feeling of being lifted up into his Dad's arms.

"Did I...miss the movie?" He murmured.

"Nah. Soon as we saw you fall asleep we paused it. We'll finish it next time, kiddo."

"Okay. Is everyone gone?"

"They want to make sure you get your rest so you can get better as soon as possible." Sans replied. "Now, it's time to get you into bed." Fear gnawed at Frankie's heart.

"Daddy…"He whispered. "Can I sleep with you? ...I… don't want to be alone." Sans seemed to falter at this new name at first, but it brought a wide smile to his face.

"'Course, Frankie." Frankie fell gently back into sleep before they were even halfway down the hall.

* * *

Sans could only lay awake, staring at the ceiling. 'What ifs' and multiple scenarios flashed through his head. It had been _his job_ to protect Frankie. How many times had he sworn to it? How many times had he told the skele-child that he wouldn't let anything happen to him? Sans closed his eyes in shame. _I've failed…._

Red X, they had paid for what they did to Sans' son, but Sans… how would he pay? He had made a mistake, and this one had nearly cost him Frankie's life. Frankie suddenly jerked next to him.

"No!" The little child gasped.

"Frankie?" Sans murmured, he sat up slowly. The child was shivering in his sleep, moaning, flinching away from invisible enemies.

"No… no… no! Stop!" The little boy jerked again. "Please, you're… hurting… NO! STOP-"

"Frankie!" Sans gently shook the little boy. With a gasp the child woke, tears began to spill over his cheekbones.

"NO! No…" He was confused again, but he seemed to return to reality faster than the night at the hospital. His eyes focused on Sans. He blinked, looking up at Sans with fear.

"Dad…." He murmured. "They found me."

"No, Frankie, I'll never let that happen." Sans said. _But it already has. You've failed once before what makes you think that you'll be able to protect him?_ _ **They won't be coming back**_ _. The only reason they wouldn't be coming back is if there's a reset._ _ **There won't be a reset. They won't be coming back.**_ _Oh Sans, it's so pathetic that you think that._ _ **SHUT UP!**_

Frankie pulled Sans into his arms. "I know." He whispered.

"Try and go back to sleep, buddy." Sans said.

"Dad?"

"Mmhmmm?"

"Can you… tell me a story?" Sans blinked. _A story? uhh…_

"Sure." Frankie slowly lay back on his pillow, careful not to move too abruptly, because of the cracks in his bones. Sans followed, Frankie pulled him closer, leaning against his shoulder. "Well… Once upon a time monsters were trapped underground. There was only one way to escape, with Seven human souls. But one day, a little human named Frisk came and changed everything…." So Sans told Frankie the story of how he met Frisk, and how Frisk had set the monsters free.

"So, Frisk is a hero." Frankie murmured. "I wish I could be a hero. I wish I could save someone."

"You already are, kiddo." Sans smiled. "You saved me." He knew Frankie wouldn't know what he was talking about, exactly, but he felt it needed to be said anyways.

"Then we saved each other." Frankie whispered, drifting off into sleep. Sans hugged him tightly, wishing, somehow that he could protect his son from the nightmares that plagued him. But he knew another one would come in an hour or two. They came over and over. Sans, in some ways, wished that he could have the nightmares too. Because at least then he'd be able to fall asleep. Right now, as he held his son tightly, he was too terrified to close his eyes, too scared that he would wake up and the little boy would be gone. To fail again… he would never forgive himself. So he stayed awake, staring at the ceiling, for Frankie. He stayed awake to assure himself that the shadows in the hallway, fading and moving with the wind, were nothing more than that- shadows.

* * *

 **REVIEWS FOR CHAPTER TWENTY:**

 **HourglassMadness:** Hmm... So... I wonder just what exactly Riley is hiding? Is she actually a monster that looks like a human, or is it something else? Also, PAPYRUS'S REACTION WAS PERFECT! Papyrus's enthusiasm and passion for everything he does is really inspiring! Anyway, I'm a bit nervous about that coffee... Hangout. (COUGHCOUGHTOTALLYNOTADATECOUGH) They're going to wait until Frankie gets better, right? It might be a bit disastrous if Sans leaves when Frankie is that scared...

 _I'm only going to say this about Riley: It would make sense for her to hide from humans if she were a monster- but why would she hide from Sans and his friends? I really can't say anymore. It's a big, big secret! :O  
Papyrus is amazing. I love him! I agree, he is really inspiring. _

_(COUGHYASCOUGH)_

 _Frankie's situation is definitely delicate. But I think he's going to be okay... at least, during the day. Poor kiddo._

 **MechaSniper51:** Everytime i see the title of this fic i keep saying  
"MAJOR FRACTURE DETECTED,AUTOMATIC MEDICAL SYSTEM ENGAGED,MORPHINE ADMINISTERED."(read with HEV suit voice!)

 _I am really sorry to admit that we're not 100% sure what this is from...? We'll probably kick ourselves. :P_

 **anthonyabc268:** yes love is in the air Nheheheh

 _*choking*SOMETIMES I DON'T GET YOUR REVIEWS IN EMAIL FOR SOME REASON AND I ONLY SEE THEM WHEN I GO TO POST THE CHAPTER AND WHEN I SAW THIS I DIED. *cough* I mean... yess...? Maybe..._

 **UT Midnight Sky:** Hiya! My name's Dylan, and this isn't exactly my account. Tibia Honest it's my OC friend, Midnight's, and uh well he isn't exactly happy that I took his laptop... He's a bit of a nuisance. Kinda similar to papyrus, but he's not all that innocent. I mean he doesn't kill, he's just more aware of the world. Actually I think that's him now...

*Bang Bang*

Dylan? Open this door, or I swear I will not let you have your candy for tonight!

Hold on I think you might like this... Knock knock!

...who's there?

Theodore

...Theodore who?

Theodore will stay closed, and I'm keeping you laptop!

Argh!

*Bang Bang*

Hah, anyway hope you enjoyed this little situation I'm in. I love you story l, and hope you update more often. Now keep up the good work, and stay determined!

*Bang Bang CRASH*

...oh-no...

Oh Dylan, you might want to hand me my Laptop before you have a BAD time.

Hey isn't that sans's line? Wait... Why are you moving closer? Oh, uh, anyway I'll be going now, see you sometime in the future bye AAH-

 _Wows... Heya, Dylan. Wow. This whole OC thing is interesting... Umm... Nice to meet you guys!_

 **Ed' .Kitten:** This story is the epitome of freaking ADORABLE! XD I love it! Hang in there, everyone!

 _Awww! Thanks so much! We're so glad you like it! :D_

 **reader99:** is chara in sans head

 _No, Sans' situation is... I can't decided between more complex or simpler... hmm..._

 **Guest:** Looks like Frankie gonna have a mom

 _mmmmmmmMMMMM I'M NOT ALOUD TO COMMENT._

 **Anonymous:** I am going to once again congratulate you on a fantastic chapter. I was so excited when it came out, I screamed and began to laugh hysterically on the floor. I absolutely ADORE Sans's reaction to becoming a father, it makes me really happy. Especially since it isn't just a love interest. This relationship is way more beautiful than that. If you keep developing Riley, I'm sure that will develop into something wonderful as well. I also like that she's more of a side character, it makes me happy :) I've always liked Sans being a gaurdian to Papyrus and NOW HES MOVING IN WITH THEM EEE. Well done :) (I'm sorry for being so judgemental tbh I'm not even that good of a writer I'm just a nerd that's waaaaay to confident in my nonexistent character development skills)

 _No, I totally get it. I'm so glad you're saying all this. Character development is hard- I think sometimes, in certain situations, it's even more hard when you have ready-made characters like in fanfics. You have to ask yourself 'how do I change this character. How do I develop them when they've already been developed?' Obviously, there's an infinite number of options for some characters. But sometimes not so much. Anyways, it's just great to hear all this. It's really encouraging! :D Thanks so much!_

 **Guest:** I'm really enjoying reading this story! I finished everything so far in the span of a single morning. Now I have an enormous smile on my face! Thanks for a well-written adventure. I now have the DETERMINATION to get through the day!

 _Awesome! That's so great. Keep reading, we hope it'll just get better. :D_

 **Anonymous:** A side note: I THINK I KNOW HO THE VOICE IN FRANKIES HEAD IS OMG YOU'RE BRILLIANT AHAHAHAHHAHAH

 _Sans of Frankie? We haven't had a dream with a voice for Frankie in a while... oh, I guess his nightmare in twenty did sort of have a voice in it. *shrugs* I dunno._

 **Fern of the Clouds:** Riley and sans, sitting in a tree!  
K-i-s-s...wait...he doesnt have lips...0-o  
i feel my sins crawling down my back.

 _*nervously laughs...* Riley... *whispers* Don't let your dreams be dreams._

 **OCs:** Riolu (Narrator): Hey, my OCs are back!And now more have showed up. Also I couldn't get Moonbeam to shut up and talk about the story instead of his life.

Chaos: Hi!I like this chapter?*Didn't actually read it* I don't really like...reading.

Spyro: Hi!Papyrus panicking was funny, and I liked his story! Good Chapter!

Moonbeam: Hey!Guess what?I'm engaged to Spyro now!Our wedding is...I have no clue when it is. Also hehehehehe the creator of this married one of her OCs!Isn't that funny?

Riolu: No I didn't!Heh...ok...maybe I did...get engaged...to one of My OCs...

Wheatley (Yeah I named him after the portal character) : Yeah, um...hi. Yes, Riolu IS engaged to me. So um...heh...Cool Story!

Riolu: Yeah the story was really cool!

Moonbeam: HEY I HEARD YOU THE FIRST THING YOU SAID THIS COMMENT! I CAN STOP TALKING ABOUT MYSELF!Great story!I hope Frankie never gets attacked again, even though I Seriously doubt he or Riley will survive during the story.

~You eat the Cake.  
~It Fills you with...  
~DETERMINATION!

~It also fills you with Cake.

 _My goodness... this is chaos. I mean... shit... no pun intended._

 _But anyways. It was nice to meet all of you. And...uh... Congrats to Moonbeam and Spyro._

 _Thanks, I'm glad you like the story!_

 **GenuineGreenTea:** Hey,I loved this chapter. It really goes into how much Frankie and sans love each other. Also, this is I think the second time you've emphasized the scarf. What is it hiding?  
(•~•) - justice the cat

 _Heh. What about this chapter. I'm sorry but I 100% died when I wrote that he says "Daddy". Ooh. Yes, the Scarf. Seeeecrreeets. Don't worry. Soon. I know! I'll give you all a fancy prophecy. (I am not good at rhyming so don't judge)_

 _The tale of Riley's past shall be told_

 _after the ceremony we'll behold._

 _On a bench, away from the rain_

 _after vows have been exchanged._

 _Hehe.. not bad if I do say so myself. I should use 'prophecies' more often. That was fun._

 **I guest as much:** Great update! I Riley love all these great character interactions going on, and keeping on that train of thought, are we going to see more visits next update, or are we leaving the hospital? Also, when do you think Sans is going to find out what's under her scarf?

 _Scarffff... See the above 'prophecy' for an answer to that question. I'm actually quite pleased with that thing. What do you guys think?_

 **:** Oh wow, I always love the updates! I've actually been reading this since really early in, so sorry for not follow/faving it until now. *coughlazycough*

It's so awesome that Frankie and Sans are going to be father and son! But will they have to pay for the happiness...? *starts worrying*

I keep wondering whats behind that scarf... Maybe a wound? It's all so mysterious.

 _Hehe. I've done that more than once too. Yes! Dad!Sans, always! :D_

 _As for the scarf- see the above **awesome-yet-terribly-composed** 'prophecy'. Hehe..._

 **WOW! Thanks for all the reviews! Super encouraging! See you on the next chapter! :D**

 **-mariahills-capsicle**


	22. Chapter 22: Realization

**This chapter's a bit short, but it's one of my favorites for sure! I hope you all enjoy.**

 **-mariahills-capsicle**

* * *

"Have fun, alright kiddo?" Sans smiled down at Frankie, who offered him a small smile in return. The kid was getting a lot better, but being away from Sans still made him a bit nervous. The older skeleton sent Frankie off to class and made his way down the hall to the janitor's closet where he began his long day of work.

After he had thoroughly swept the halls, he decided to pay Riley a visit. Sans walked down the empty hallway to the library, where he heard laughter. He steps inside, Iro and Riley were chatting in the far corner of the little library. Iro was leaning against a bookshelf, smiling widely. They both seemed unaware of Sans' presence.

"So, Riley, I was wondering if you wanted to catch a movie sometime?" Iro chuckles. Sans glares.

"Sure! That sounds great!" Riley laughs, probably smiling under her gray scarf, "What movie should we see?"

"Hmm. I dunno. Howabout a _romance_?" Iro wiggles his eyebrows, Riley punches his shoulder playfully.

"Pfffft. You're such a dork." She laughs. Sans clears his throat, Iro and Riley both jump,

"O-Oh! H-H-Hi Sans!" Riley stammers, pushing a lock of orange hair out of her face "D-Didn't see ya there" Sans forces a smile onto his face,

"Heya." He tries his best not to glare at Iro, but that is a battle he does not win. He just… _really_ doesn't like him.

"Nice to see you again, Sans! I'm uh… sorry about what happened to Frankie… Riley told me about it…" Iro's bright yellow eyes reflect sympathy, but for some reason, Sans can't accept his sincerity. Sans gives him a curt nod, still fighting to keep the smile on his face.

"O-Oh! Uh… Would it be alright if Iro came for spaghetti night t-tomorrow? S-since he couldn't come before…?" For some reason, Sans couldn't bring himself to say no. He had no reason to say no, anyways.

"Sure, I guess." Sans shrugs, immediately regretting that decision.

"Great!" Riley grins, "Y-you'll get to m-meet everyone, Iro! It's going to be r-really fun!"

 _Yeah… really great._ Sans glared.

* * *

"Hey, Wren!" Frankie waved at the younger girl who was just coming out of her class to head over to the cafeteria.

"Hi!" She smiled brightly.

"Check this out!" Frankie held out his arm for her to see his cast.

"Oh!" What happened?!" She looked worried, "Does it hurt?"

"Not anymore. It's… kind of a long story. But, it's fractured. My radius is broken in half… and… the doctor says it'll get better soon."

"Wow. I'm sorry, Frankie…." She bit her lip, looking down at her hands.

"You wanna sign it?" Frankie said, holding out an assortment of colored pens.

"Really?!"

"'Course! You're one of my best friends." She gingerly took a purple pen from his hand and signed her name carefully.

"I hope it's all better soon, Frankie." She smiled. He stored the pens back into his backpack and they made their way towards the cafeteria.

"Dad, and Uncle Paps, and I are moving." He informed her.

"What?" Her smile fell away. "Where?"

"Not far away. Just to a bigger house."

"Oh." She grinned. "That's neat."

"We're going to get one with a big backyard, Dad says. So you can come over, because I bet I can convince Dad to buy me a trampoline."

"That would be fun!" Wren nodded.

"Hey." Frankie said. "I like… your yellow ribbon." He pointed to the ribbon she wore in her curly, light brown hair. "It looks nice. My favorite color is yellow, you know."

"Wow…" Her cheeks turned pink. "Thanks, Frankie." They were silent for a moment. Then Wren took Frankie's hand. "I'm glad you're not moving away. We'll always be best friends, right Frankie?"

"Right." Frankie nodded firmly.

* * *

There was a knock at the door. Everyone else had already arrived for spaghetti night, and Sans was awaiting Riley… and _Iro._ Why did he say yes? He sighs as he opens the door, to be greeted by Riley, who wore a bright blue scarf, and Iro, who stood behind her.

"Heya." Sans plasters a grin on his face, and steps to the side to let them in.

"Nice place y'got here, Sans! I'm glad I can finally join you guys for spaghetti night!" Iro grins, Sans nods curtly,

"Yeah. Glad you could make it." Sans was good enough at acting that he made his enthusiasm sound convincing.

"HEY PUNK!" Undyne shouts from the dining room to Riley, who waves shyly in response. She'd gotten a lot more accustomed to the loud noises and shouting that often occurred during spaghetti night. Riley leads Iro over to the table and takes a seat next to him. For some reason, this makes an unknown emotion burn within Sans. What was that? He was…. Frustrated.

Sans takes a seat across from them. Once everyone was gathered around the table, Undyne stood, a little too aggressively tapping the side of her glass with her fork.

"QUIET EVERYONE!" Undyne grins, exposing her sharp off-white teeth. The table becomes silent, everyone's attention on Undyne. She clears her throat,

"Me and Alphys have an announcement to make!" Alphys stands, clearly nervous, but she was smiling.

"We're g-getting married!" The little yellow lizard monster says, proudly. The table bursts into cheers, Toriel clasps her hands together and gasps happily,

"Oh my! That is wonderful!" Asgore nods in agreement. Papyrus stared, wide eyed,

"MARRIED?! WOWIE! THAT IS GREAT NEWS!" Sans was still glaring at Iro, who was grinning widely. Why did he dislike him so much? Once the cheers and congratulations died down, and everyone moved to the living room to discuss the wedding, Sans decides to get started on the dishes.

"Sans… is there something wrong?" A sweet voice sounds behind him. Toriel. Sans turns around,

"...Something wrong?" He asks, raising an eyebrow.

"You seemed a little out of it today at dinner, and I was worried. Does it have to do with Iro?" Toriel asks sympathetically, "It seemed like you were glaring at him."

 _Was it really that noticeable…?_

"...He gets on my nerves." Sans replies simply, not about to elaborate on that, because, well… he didn't really have a reason. _Why don't I like Iro…? He's a funny guy. He's Riley's friend…_

"Oh. I couldn't imagine why, but if that is how you feel…" Toriel seems confused, as she walks out of the kitchen, joining the laughter that was happening in the livingroom. _Why don't I like Iro?_ Now it was bugging Sans. He had no reason. No reason to hate Iro, yet, whenever he looked at the dragon monster, he couldn't help but glare, a burning feeling in his nonexistent gut. Sans contemplates this for a while, and finally comes up with an answer,

"Holy hell…"

 _I like her._

* * *

 **REVIEWS FOR CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE:**

 **Guest (for chapter twenty):** I have a bad feeling frisk/chara might reset

 _I'm sorry I didn't see your review earlier when I posted chapter twenty one. For all of you: If I didn't post your review and reply to it it's because I didn't see it. There's two reasons for that, A) for some reason your review didn't show up on the review page when I posted the chapter , or B) I'm stupid and I totally skipped over it. Anyways...! The whole Frisk/Chara thing... I can't say._

 **Andyfire123:** Will you stop making me cry! Please!

 _Well, for now I think your safe. Later however... who's to say?_

 **MechaSniper51:** What I just said in the last review is from half life

 _Ah! I am ashamed to admit that I haven't played Half Life. My cousin, who's writing Sans' parts in the story, has- probably. I *should* play that, though. I really really love Portal soo... yeah... I should probably play Half Life._

 **Eds . curious. Kitten:** Yay! House hunting! Woot! Hang in there Frankie! You are surrounded by love, so let that comfort you!

 _Sorry I have to separate your name with spaces. I think last time I typed it in fanfiction thought it was a link. (in some ways I really hate this website)_

 _Yas! House hunting! With Sans adopting Frankie I think things got much better. Frankie's going to do alright. 3_

 **TheSoCoolWriter:**

Wow! This chapter was great. Plus, I loved the emphasis that Frankie saved Sans from his voice in his head.  
Me: *Looks at the review responses*  
"On a bench, away from the rain,  
After vows have been exchanged."  
oh.  
Oh.  
OHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

 _Awww! Thanks!_

 _Me- *playing 'It's Raining Somewhere Else' at full volume*_

 _No, come on, tell me what you think. That's not fair. (though I think this chapter shed some light on the whole ceremony and vows thing.)_

 **UT Midnight Sky:** And I'm back to review another perfect chapter of this fine story! So.. Uh... Want to apologize about the earlier review, you know, the one with my OC friend? Sorry if that was a little weird for you, it's kind of a repetitive thing. Anyway, loved the chapter, hope you keep them coming, and stay determined!

 _That's alright. It was entertaining. :D Thanks, we're so glad you like it!_

 **Guest:** In chapter twenty I was sorta hoping that when papyrus was crying, he'd idk be a bit more serious cause sans has been idkkkk avoiding him?

 _That does make sense. I think our excuse for Papyrus not being more serious, though, was that he didn't really realize Sans was avoiding him. He's so innocent. I think the excuses he made for his brother were that Sans is lazy. And he was worried in the beginning, but when he saw Sans come to spaghetti night, perfectly fine, that worry dropped instantly, and after that he never suspected that Sans had been trying to avoid him. I don't know. I think it's probably because he's such a forgiving and child-like character. But I see what you're saying._

 **Guest:** I am so sorry I meant Sans I know what the voice in Sans's head is. :) At any rate WAITING FOR THE UPDATE IS EXCRUCIATING OMG! I can't wait for the next one! Thank you SO much for understanding my character development thing! It is tricky, and you've done well so far! You've developed Frankie and Sans's relationship so well! Once again I

 _Oh no! Your comment cut off. *sigh* Fanfiction... why? Oh well. Thank you so much. It's really great to hear that we're doing good on the whole character development thing. I hope you liked this chapter as well!_

 **Anonymous:** (Sorry my comment got cut off) I really congratulate you on not just throwing in some love interest. I love the relationships between family. This is my favorite fanfic! I scream everytime there's a new update. Keep up the good work. (Continued from the comment that doesn't have a name omg)

 _(That's okay. That seems to be happening a lot, for some reason) Thanks! Though, as you can see from this chapter a love interest is definitely being developed. I hope that doesn't change your view on the story. But, yes, the whole family relationship is always going to be our number one goal. I think... though we're definitely going to develop Sans and Riley's relationship._

 **Guest:** "Ceremony," huh? Well, that could be quite a few things... It could be a WEDDING CEREMONY, and the vows would be the wedding vows between Sans and Riley, but I get the feeling that's not it.

Maybe the ceremony is some sort of messed up Red X ritual that Riley is a victim of in a later chapter. Sans comes to save her from Red X, and finally asks her about the scarf, and why Red X wanted her in THAT particular ceremony. Riley finally explains in the rain to Sans, the merciful waters from the sky attempting to hide her tears as she tells her tale. Sans, after hearing her story, vows to protect Riley from anyone who might hurt her. Riley then vows to either be honest with herself concerning her past, or vows to help Sans however she can (even listening and comforting Sans about the resets and assuring him that it wont happen) and protect Frankie.

Oh my gosh that would be so cool! I'd die on the spot! Anyway, good luck with the next chapter!

 _Wow! Those are some amazing ideas. But, I think this chapter shed light on the whole ceremony thing. It's simpler than most everyone probably thought based on my riddle._

 **A Person:** Whoa this stories really good. You've got the characters nailed and I think you've perfectly shown how Sans would think (the voices and all that fluffy stuff).  
As a question though it says there's been 4 resets, and Sans fine around Frisk so in those resets was there no killing or genocide? I can't tell cause Frisk seems real nice and Sans has never mentiond or even thought about Frisk that way. Yet she know he was "really strong" and Sans has that hallway nightmare.  
Adding on to that does it also mean Sans dosent know its Frisk who resets? Or in this story is Frisk not the one resets.  
This is an AMZING fic, a part of me though is terrified because that reset is kinda inevitable. Although this WAS the 4 reset sooooo Neutral Pacifist Genocide Pacifist which is normally how people leave it...  
AHHH! Welp from the amount I've just written and how many questions I've asked you can tell I'm pretty hooked! But seriously this is incredible and I can't wait for the next update! :)

 _Those are some deep questions that in all honesty I don't think we've really thought about. There was a genocide route at some point, not sure where in the whole sequence. Sans is fine around Frisk, but that's a good point. Maybe he shouldn't be all the time. Thanks sooo much! We're so glad you like it._

 **OCs:** Riolu: *Quickly puts duct tape over Moonbeam's Mouth* Hi! Great chapter!Oh yeah, question...Do you like waffles? (The song do you like waffles starts playing) THIS IS NOT A SIRIUS REVIEW!

(Sirius black from Harry Potter appears) WRONG SIRIUS!

Yeah I think I'm insane.

 _Thanks. And yes, I do like waffles. heheh. We're all insane in our own little ways, I think._

 **Frisks brother:** Hey DOOD I luv this too much i neeeeeee more PLZ PLZ PLZ PLZ PLZ I NEED MORE FRACTURE AHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAH * jumps out out window * * shouts* oh and yah I'm actually frisks brother by th way U mph... Ouch

 _I hope this gave you your fix. :P More soon to come. We try and post every three days!_

 _Nice to meet you, Frisk's brother._

 **Guest:** I loved this chapter. I nearly died when sans told his story. Can't wait for chapter 22!

P.S. I loved your Riddle. I like the mysteries.

 _Augh, yes. Dad!Sans is adorable. :)_

 _Well, reading this chapter you've probably already discovered half the mystery is solved._

 **I guest as much:** Another sweet update! It's nice to know Frankie is getting better, even if he isn't in the best state of mental health. I'm happy Frisk noticed that something was up with Riley and her scarf. The interactions between Frankie, Sans, and Grandpops really rose to the top for me, everything they said felt like something they wood actually say, and it all felt really nice. Overall, with Riley, Grandpops, and Frankie, you have a really nice "cast" of OCs!

 _You and your puns. holy crap. Thanks so much! I am so glad that the OCs and turning out great. :)_

 **Guest1:** Nice prophecy, I can't wait to see what happens next

 _Sans' realization! :D_

 **THANKS ALL SO MUCH FOR THE GREAT REVIEWS! It's so awesome to hear from you and get your opinions- super encouraging! You're all fabulous!**

 **See you on the next chapter! :D**

 **-mariahills-capsicle**


	23. 23: Truth and Dare and Confrontation

Alphys and Undyne wanted to get married as soon as possible. Toriel had managed to talk them up to a month preparation, but they wouldn't go any longer.

"A month?! Are you crazy?!" Riley had gasped. "That's so little time! What about suits and dresses, and… vows… and…." Alphys and Undyne assured her that it was going to be fine, (Alphys was definitely way less sure than Undyne).

"Speaking of the w-wedding" Alphys smiled. "I was w-wondering if you would l-like to be my M-maid of Honor."

"Me?!" Riley nearly choked on her tea. "Seriously?"

"Y-yeah…" Alphys nodded enthusiastically. "It's just… Y-your my best friend, besides Undyne of c-course. I've n-never really had a g-good friend like you, Riley."

"Wow… I…" Riley couldn't help but smile. The idea of being invited to be someone's Maid of Honor was amazing. She had never thought she'd have good friends like that. Then an image of her wearing a beautiful dress struck her. Bridesmaid dresses were always more revealing. She couldn't have that much skin showing! And… what about her scarf?! But… she couldn't let Alphys down. _I'll have to find a way to cover up my… shoulders… and neck… and… legs. EVERYTHING._ Why did this have to be her?

"Riley?"

"Huh? Oh, Sorry, Alphys! I would love to be your Maid of Honor!" _Dammit, Riley._ No. This was good. This was fine. She could figure something out. It was later that she learned about the rest of the small wedding party. Papyrus was going to be Undyne's best man, and apparently Mettaton was coming into town to officiate the ceremony. Riley, of course, had heard of Mettaton. He was quite a star in the monster community. But she had never met him. She was a bit worried about it. And of course, to top it all off- like a big red cherry on the whipped cream top of her lovely, nerve-wrecking sundae, her childish crush hadn't dissipated. If anything, it had grown, and she was furious.

Being around Sans gave her butterflies. She couldn't talk, she couldn't focus. She was always, always nervous. But, god, he made her laugh and smile. He made her so happy. And yet…. She knew it wasn't meant to be. She didn't deserve to be this happy. _This will pass… and I'll be alone again._ Sans- wonderful Sans. He would find someone, but not her. He didn't deserve her, with all the baggage she carried. He deserved someone who was free. He deserved someone who was beautiful. She was neither of those things.

"Riley?! Are you alright?"

"Wha-? Oh… sorry. I'm just tired. That's all." She shrugged her shoulders, looking up to see Alphys and Undyne frowning. She had come over to try and help them plan some of the wedding stuff. They had three weeks until the big event. So far that evening they had finally decided on an accent color- cyan, and a location- beach! The menu was lacking, so she supposed that would be the next step.

"I know what we need!" Undyne shouted.

"What?" Alphys frowned.

"We need a game to wake us up."

"Oh? What did you have in mi-" Riley began.

"LISTEN UP, NERDS!" Undyne suddenly leaps up from the table and is screaming. Riley leans away, a little in shock. "WE'RE GONNA PLAY TRUTH OR DARE!"

"Oh n-no…" Alphys groaned. _This has happened before?_ Riley stared.

"I'LL BE GENEROUS TODAY AND LET ONE OF YOU GO FIRST! SO GO AHEAD AND FIGHT FOR THE SEAT OF HONOR!"

"Err…" Riley was still staring at Undyne when Alphys said, "H-how about you g-go first, Riley, since y-you're the guest?"

"What?!" Riley spun around to look at Alphys. "I mean! Uh… Truth?"

"Ooh! Can I ask the question, Undyne?" Alphys cried.

"Fine…" Undyne falls back into her seat, defeated.

"Ooh.. hmm… w-what should I… hmm…" Alphys looks over at Riley with narrowed eyes. Riley fidgets in her seat. _Oh no. What if they ask about my scarf? What if they ask about my past? What if… what if they ask…?_

"Ooh!" Alphys gasps. "Mmm. W-who do you have a crush on?" _WHAT?!_

"Lame!" Undyne cries. "Everyone always asks that question." _Oh god. Oh god…_

"I mean… errr…. Dare?" Riley whispers. Undyne's curiosity was suddenly piqued.

"Ooh…" Alphys grinned.

"IN THAT CASE, I DARE YOU TO TELL US WHO YOU HAVE A CRUSH ON!" Undyne screams.

"Oh…" _Oh no. Oh…_ She had to come up with something fast if she was going to avoid any sort of teasing. But apparently a few seconds wasn't fast enough for Undyne.

"Come on, nerd! Tell us! Who is it? You totally have a crush on someone!"

"Yeah! Tell us so I can ship you two!" Alphys said.

"I-"

"You can't lie! I know a lie when I see one!" Undyne cried.

"ALRIGHT! IT'S SANS OKAY?!" _Silence.._

"Oh. My GOD! I SHIP IT!" Alphys screams. Then she turns to Undyne and with perfectly clarity says, "You owe me money."

"What?!" Riley gasps.

"Fiinnneee." Undye slaps a ten dollar bill on the table and Alphys takes it eagerly.

"W-what?!" Riley frowns.

"BUT I'm going to win that money back! I bet _twenty bucks_ Sans asks her out first." _What?_

"My m-money's still on R-riley." Alphys says. "Twenty more dollars for me? Yes please."

"It's ON!" Undyne and Alphys shake hands.

"You'll ask him out first, r-right, Riley?"

"Uhh.. What?! This is r-ridiculous, I don't even know if… if he likes me!"

"So?! Sometimes you have to just take the-" Undyne trails off and looks over at Alphys. "I mean. No, you definitely don't want to risk it. Not this time. Nope."

"The first p-part of what Undyne s-said is right. You just gotta d-do it, go out there and-"

"And sometimes, it's better to wait and see what happens." Undyne said.

"I waited, Riley." Alphys said. "I waited and n-nothing happened."

"That's not true, I wrote you a letter."

"Which n-never would have g-gotten to me if Frisk hadn't b-been there."

"That's not true. I would have had Papyrus deliver it!"

"Stop it! Both of you!" Riley finally gasped. "I have a crush on S-sans. It's just a silly crush. It's not… I don't… He probably doesn't like me back."

"He totally does-"

"She's right, Alphys, she needs to observe a little bit longer… you know? See what happens. I… umm… I've gotta go… make a phone call…" Undyne stood up.

"No! Undyne!" Riley and Alphys stood up at the same time.

"It's… work related." Undyne said, with a grin.

"No! You can't- you can't t-tell him!" Riley's whole face was red.

"Undyne!" Alphys called and then she directed her attention to Riley, "Y-you have to call him before she does."

"N-no! I'm not… I'm not calling anyone. This is stupid and em-embarrassing!"

"Oh. Riley… we-we're sorry. You're right." Alphys nodded after a long pause. Undyne sighed.

"Alright fiinee… But after this whole wedding thing is over, you better be ready, because I'm not going to stop until you're a happy couple."

"That's not going to-" Riley began. Alphys cleared her throat.

"What was that about… food for this party?" Undyne frowned.

* * *

As the wedding quickly approached spaghetti night became more of a thing for each evening rather than just Tuesdays. There was a lot of planning to do, and throughout all the chaos Asgore had finally found a nice house for Frankie and his new family to move into. _Three bedrooms._ Sans had said there was one for Papyrus, one for Frankie, and one for him. But Frankie hadn't slept alone since the Red X incident. He had nightmares far too often. He knew that inevitably, despite having a space to call his own, he'd end up sleeping in Sans' room more often than not. So, besides all the wedding chaos, Frankie, Sans, and Papyrus were packing all their things and getting ready to move into the larger house.

It was a Wednesday evening when they all gathered at Frisk's house. It was a nice day out, so they were spending it outside in their backyard. Asgore was grilling kabobs, (Papyrus was not pleased), and Toriel had made dessert. The adults were sitting on the deck discussing clothes and decorations for the wedding. Frankie was excited for what sounded like an enormous party, but the whole planning thing was just boring. He and Frisk sat in Frisk's tree house. They played a couple games, and Frisk shared some candy they'd convinced Asgore to buy for them. But after a while they were bored, so they watched the adults from afar.

Sans was sitting across from Riley, Alphys, and Toriel. Alphys and Riley were discussing the color Undyne and Alphys had picked out, (something about cyan?). Toriel was knitting a scarf or something, and pretending not to be a part of the conversation, but was listening quietly to what everyone said around her. Sans, however, was completely silent. There was a strange smile on his face, and he seemed… odd. Frisk pointed at the skeleton with a frown, and shrugged their shoulders. Frankie frowned as well, watching closely.

"Sans." Riley said quite suddenly, and Sans nearly jumped out of his chair.

"heh… yeah?" He was blushing now, blue. This was definitely a new development. It was something Frankie had never seen before. His dad was… flustered?

"Do you see that?" Frankie whispered. Frisk nodded, they were trying to suppress a laugh. "Have you ever seen that before?" The young human shook their head slowly. "Why do you suppose he's acting that way around her?"

 _I think…_ Frisk signed, then they paused for dramatics.

"What?" Frankie sighed.

 _I think he likes her._

"We all like her."

 _No, not like that. I think he like, likes her._

Frankie looked back over at the two adults with an open jaw. _What?_ Seeing both Riley and Sans acting so nervous, and blushing, and smiling made him grin. And then, when he looked over at Frisk, he couldn't help but laugh. Soon both of them were laughing hysterically. Yet, despite the amusement, Frankie couldn't help but think it was perfect.

"I have an idea." He said, after both he and Frisk were able to finally quit laughing.

 _What?_ Frisk signed.

"Follow me." He scrambled down the ladder to the grass below (a tedious task, especially with his giant blue cast), and Frisk followed. They made their way up to the porch. There Frankie grabbed Sans' sleeve.

"Dad?"

"Yup?" Sans looked up at his son with a grin.

"Come with us, we want to show you something in Frisk's treehouse."

"In the treehouse?" Sans looked up at the tree. "I don't know about that, kiddo…"

"Pleasee! Dad, pleaaase!" Frankie begged.

"Oh… well… I guess so." Sans stood up, following the two kids back to the treehouse. Frisk led the way up the ladder, and then went Frankie, Sans came up behind Frankie- nervously. About half-way up Frankie almost lost his grip on one of the rails and he slipped.

"Woah! Frank. You alright?"

"Yeah…" He was shaken, but he grinned down at his dad, who had reached up instinctively to hold on to his leg.

"You gotta be careful, Frankie. I don't want you getting hurt."

"I'm alright, dad. I promise. Now come on!" Once they all made it to the top Sans heaved a sigh of relief.

"Alright. What's this you want to show me?"

"Look!" Frankie pointed out of the open side of the treehouse. "You can see everyone really well. Look, there's Riley." Just as Frankie suspected, the moment he mentioned the young woman's name Sans' cheekbones turned a light blue. Frankie looked over at Frisk with a grin and the young human covered their laugh with their hand.

"Yeah… heh… That's really neat."

"Dad? Is… Riley coming to the next… dinner too?" Frankie asked.

"...Riley?" The blue on Sans' cheekbones darkened a shade. "uh, sure. Yeah. She's… um… one of the wedding party… so she's a part of the planning..."

"We should have her over some time." Frankie said. "She's really nice." Frisk nodded in agreement.

"Uh… yeah, sounds like a great plan, kiddo."

"Dad?"

"Yup?" Sans looked up from where he's looking down at the other adults.

 _Are you having fun talking to R-I-L-E-Y today?_ Frisk signed.

"uhh… what's this all about?" Sans asked.

Frankie looked over at Frisk, who nodded again, and Frankie burst out, "Do you like Riley, Dad?! Do you have a crush on her?!" Sans' cheekbones turned a dark blue, and he quickly looked down at his hands.

"uh… what? heh… no. I mean, she's… I'm… No."

 _Sans has a crush!_ Frisk signed excitedly.

"I knew it!"

"I…"

"Are you gonna tell her? Are you gonna ask her out? Will you guys get married or something some day? Would she be my mom? She's nice. I like her. You should ask her out. What are you gonna say to her? Are you just gonna tell her or are you gonna kiss her or, are you gonna-"

"I-"

"...call her? Or maybe-"

 _You should buy her a present, or get her flowers or something._ Frisk signed.

"Hey-"

"Yeah! I bet Riley would like flowers. You should. Or you could write her a letter. You could tell her in a letter."

 _Sans doesn't write._

"Hey!"

 _He should just talk to her._

"Yeah. Frisk is right. You should tell her. Dad, are you gonna tell her?" Frankie and Frisk looked up at Sans expectantly. Sans' whole face was blue now. He stared at them with an open jaw and then shook his head.

"I… I don't like… I don't have a crush on Riley."

"Yes you do! I saw you talking to her!" Frankie cried.

 _Yeah! you like her a lot._ Frisk signed. _I saw it too!_ Both kids began laughing, watching Sans unable to find a way to answer. Frisk grabbed Frankie's arm and pointed down at where the adults were sitting and signed quickly. _CALL._ Frankie grinned, and stuck his head over the railing.

"HEY! RILEY!" Everyone looked up quickly. Sans' eyes widened, grabbing his son's arm, he hissed,

"No!"

 _Look at S-A-N-S! He's all the way up here!_ Riley frowned, but gave them all a thumbs up. As soon as her attention was turned back to the adult conversation Sans grabbed Frankie.

"Look, kiddo. No matter what you think… you can't tell Riley anything. Okay? Promise?"

"Okay…" Frankie sighed. "But… only if you tell her. Because, I can't keep secrets for very long. They just kind of slip out. Right, Frisk?" Frisk nodded firmly.

 _My hands just won't stop moving, S-A-N-S._

Sans sighed. "I have to get back down there. Alright? You promise not to tell, kiddo?"

"Mmm… Only if I get to have…"

 _Cake for breakfast, whole next month._ Frisk signed.

"Yeah." Frankie nodded.

Sans narrowed his eyes. "Alright, fine. You win. Cake. Only one month."

"Yes!" Frankie gave Frisk a high five. Then he turned back to his dad who was climbing down the ladder already. "I love you, dad." Sans looked up, and despite the whole exchange only moments ago he can't help but look at Frankie with fondness.

"I love you too, kiddo." Once Sans was gone Frankie looked over at Frisk.

"Are you going over to Ella's tomorrow to work on our science project?"

 _Of course. It's gonna be fun. Is your Dad helping?_

"Dad's gotta work on packing."

* * *

That week Undyne and Alphys asked Frankie and Frisk if one of them would be the ring-bearer and the other the "flower-person". Both of them took one glance at the other and immediately shouted out (or signed) "DIBS ON RINGS".

"Looks like it's a tie." Sans grinned. "Well, you have two rings anyways. Each of them could carry one."

"But who w-will do the f-flowers?" Alphys asked. That was when Frankie had a brilliant idea- after all, what was a party without his other two friends?

"You remember my friends Ella and Wren, Alphys? They could be the flower girls." He knew Alphys and Undyne didn't know Ella and Wren very personally, but that they had met the girls and liked them.

"That m-might work." Alphys smiled.

So, much to Frankie's excitement, Ella and Wren were invited to all the planning nights as well. The four of them; Frankie, Wren, Ella, and Frisk; always had fun playing board games and sometimes make believe. They were all sitting up in Frisk's treehouse, eating snacks, on a Thursday afternoon (One and a half weeks before the wedding), when they heard the adults talking about dresses and suits.

"W-we ordered them t-today. They should b-be here first thing n-next week." Alphys said.

"Ooh. The cyan looks nice!" Riley gasped. Frankie looked over the railing of the treehouse to see she looked rather nervous. Something about the dress probably.

"Yes." Even Undyne looked excited.

"Undyne is refusing to wear a dress." Alphys said. "So… we d-decided to put her in a suit."

"And you ordered Frankie's coat one size too big?" Sans asked.

"That will look a little silly."

"It's not going to fit over his arm any other way." Sans replied. "That cast is huge."

"Right. Don't worry." Alphys nodded. "I d-did."

"Everyone's going to wear cyan?" Riley asked. "Wow. It's such a pretty color."

"The boys… and ME will all get cyan Ties!" Undyne grinned. "And You all get to wear cyan dresses."

"WHO CARES ABOUT THE CLOTHES! I CAN'T WAIT FOR THE PARTY! LOTS OF SPAGHETTI!"

"What's cyan?" Wren murmured. "I'll be wearing cyan? I don't know what that is."

"It's like…" Ella frowned. "It's like a bluish-green. I think. But a really light, bright color. Right?"

"Yeah." Frankie nodded. He looked over at Frisk. "Like my dad's blush." Frisk laughed.

 _But Your dad's blush gets darker too._

"Yeah." Frankie grinned.

"What's up with your dad, anyways?" Ella asked.

"Oh… he has a crush on a girl."

* * *

 **REVIEWS FOR CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO:**

 **Ed's. curious. kitten:** So awesome! (And, yeah, my name does that a lot. It's kind of funny now!) SHOW IRO WHAT FOR, SANS!

 _Heheh. YOU GO SANS! :D_

 **HourglassMadness:** Oh my gosh! I can't believe it! I thought it was just a silly hope that the ceremony you were talking about was a wedding ceremony! :D  
I'm literally shaking with happiness! Omg I wonder how Sans will confess that he likes her? Maybe he'll confide in Papyrus first, and then Papyrus gets all excited and tells Sans that he would like to go somewhere to celebrate, and Papyrus secretly tells Riley to meet him at the same place! And then, Papyrus doesn't show up, and Sans and Riley have to go on a surprise date with each other! And the truth is that Papyrus is actually watching from afar with Undyne, Mettaton, and Alphys (Undyne and Alphys noticed that Papyrus seemed unusually chipper and followed him there, and Mettaton followed Alphys)! And then all of a sudden, either Undyne or Mettaton pops out of their hiding spot and are all like, "Would ya just kiss/smooch already?!"  
Good grief... I'm starting to write sorta fanfiction out of fanficton...  
Anyway, really, really, really excited for the next chapter!

 _Holy shit. And I'm just not allowed to say anything about this. You're going to have to wait and see. *shhhhh! secrets!*_

 **coolPastagal:** Your story is so amazing it's not even real! From the first chapter I already fell in love with it. Keep it up! :'

 _Awww! Thanks! And I really like your picture. It made me laugh. :D_

 **Autumn R Rivers:** This story is sooo good! I just beinge-read every chapter and I'm still hungry for more! Some parts had me laughing and grinning so widely that my family was giving me weird looks, others had me literally squealing with joy (SPAGHETTI AND MEATBALLS OMG), and still other parts had me expressing unexpressable emotions with increasingly strange noises. Few fics on this site are this well-written, and yourse is one of the even fewer that properly expresses just what goes on in sans' head. I will say though, all those voices have me worried. That doesn't sound like conflicting emotions to me...dare I say the c word? Anyway, just wanted you to know that I'm enjoying this, and to never stop writing!

 _Awww! That's awesome! I'm so glad you like it! :D I can't say stuff about the voice in Sans' head. It's a little simpler than that though..._

 **MechaSniper51:** I never played portal before,I have no money,the only half life game I ever played is half life:op4 non-steam,anyway what sans is experiencing is jealousy ; )

*ps Im not Aaron

 _Portal is awesome. But, yeah. Heh. I know that feel._

 _Yess... I think so too. *singing* Sans is jealous! Sans is jealous!_

 **Frisks brother:** Damn where is asreil in this ( PLZ don't tell frisk that I cursed she will have my head ) I mean I know chara is in this but where the actual hell is asreil and or flowey. If he is with chara( I think he is ) than can he PLZ at least be good because I love asreil

 _I really hate to disappoint, but I don't think any of them will be in this story. :( I'm sorry._

 **Asreil dreemurr:** Hey guys have y'all seen my mom I haven't found her yet I've litteraly been looking for like 7 hours where the actual ling long is my fricken mom. O btw frisk if you here this I need MY PASTA NIGHT. ITS GETTING PRETTY DAMN LONLY HERE SITTING HERE CRYING MYSELF TO SLEEP EVERY DAY AND GUESS WHAT no one came... Any ways have you found mom?

 _I'm sorry. I don't think I have seen your mom, but I bet she'll be at Spaghetti night, and you're definitely welcome to come! :D_

 **Riolu:** AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH *I'm falling for some reason* This chapter did not have enough fluff. Also is Iro gonna have a bad time, from Sans or maybe even Frankie?I hope so...there's something weird about Iro I think...I just can't figure out what...

 _Fluff is my life, so trust me, there will be more fluff. This one had some fluff, I think. :)_

 _As for Iro. He doesn't need to have a bad time. You'll see why later._

 **Guest:** may the love triangle commence

 _Hehee..._

 **I guest as much:** ANOTHER great update! Here's some butter, because you're on a roll. So, Frankie seems to have a romantic interest now, and we have some color consistency as well with the yellow bow. It's nice to see that Sans finally realized that he likes Riley, if a little Iro-nic that he realized thanks to a rival. Even so, I'm happy you didn't keep dragon this out to long, it feels really well paced so far!

 _Yellow is Frankie's favorite color! Yes! you go, Sans! Anyways... thanks so much. I'm glad you like it!_

 **Doce:** The shipping is beyond real in this chapter. I screamed a little on the inside when Undyne said that her and Alphys were getting married. Also, I could but think in my head the entire chapter: Sans, you like Riley, you are feeling jealous. SHIP SHIP SHIP SHIP.

 _yasssss. Sans and Riley! SHIP! :D And it's just gonna get better._

 **Anonymous:** AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA YES IRO I FREAKIN LOVE THE LOVE INTEREST NOW GOSH DARN IT STOP MAKING ME LIKE THINGS I WANT TO HATE *insert crazed hysterical laughter here*

 _No! Don't ever hate it! *see above comment!* SHIPPPPP._

 **ANYWAYS! Thank you all so much for the great and amazing comments. It's soooo awesome to hear from you all! :D See you on the next chapter!**


	24. Chapter 24: Blush

Sans, Frankie, and Papyrus were finally all moved into their new house. It was a really neat house. It had two stories- the downstairs had a huge kitchen for Papyrus to cook in, a really nice living room, and a cool entryway. Upstairs were the three bedrooms and two baths.

The best part, for Frankie, was the enormous yard. Riley knew Sans had already promised his son that he'd get him a play set.

It was Sunday, only one week before the wedding when Riley came over to their new house with a little 'welcome home' gift. She knew in the chaos of the wedding and the whole moving thing, Sans hadn't had hardly any time to unpack. So when she knocked on the door and it was opened to reveal boxes stacked up in the entryway, she wasn't at all surprised.

"Oh. Heya." Sans grinned. "W-what… uh… how are you?"

"Good." Riley smiled. "I brought you a little something as a 'Welcome to your new home' gift." She held out a rolled up rug. The secret, of course, was on the inside.

"Oh. Wow. Th-thanks. Why don't you come in?" He held the door open for her and she stepped inside. The house was pretty bare, since all of their things were still in boxes, but it was a nice, large house.

"You uhh…. You want something to drink?" Sans asked.

"Oh. I'm alright. I can't stay long anyways." She really wished she could. "I promised Alphys and Undyne I'd help pick out some wedding decorations and flowers and stuff."

"Oh."

"But… you should… you should unroll that. My favorite part is on the inside." She smiled. It was an entry-sized rug so he could easily unroll it and just hold it up in his hands. He unrolled it slowly, and she watched as his expression changed, while looking down at the rug. He grinned.

"You know me almost too well." She had seen the rug at a garage sale, and had instantly thought of him. The rug was blue, with the silhouettes of two birds. Underneath in darker blue were the words: Home tweet Home.

"I thought you might like that." She grinned. "You are, after all, the pun master." His cheeks turned a bright blue.

"Heh… yeah…"

"Anyways… I umm… I have to go to Undyne and Alphys' house. But… I'm sure I'll see you a lot this week."

"Y-yeah." He nodded.

"If you… um… if you ever need help unpacking or anything…" She said.

"Sure!"

"Well…" _Oh god. Why is this always so awkward?!_

"See you later. Thanks for this."

"Yeah… bye." When she leaves the house she breathes out a sigh of relief. _Oh thank god._

* * *

It was Monday- six days before the wedding. Mettaton had arrived the night before, and was already excited about most everything. Their suits and dresses had arrived that morning, so after school they all headed over to Alphys and Undyne's house to try on their wedding clothes. Sans got into his suit first, black dress pants, shiny dress shoes. A white dress shirt, a cyan tie, and a black over coat. Then he knelt down to help Frankie.

"Alright, kiddo. Lets see. First we gotta get this white dress shirt on you, huh?" Sans held out the shirt and Frankie easily slipped his first arm into it. Then he looked over at his cast.

"This one's going to be hard."

"It's alright." Sans smiled. "I got you covered. Here." It took Sans a long while to work the sleeve up over the cast. It would be more comfortable for the kiddo if the sleeve just was rolled up above his cast. "See? Look at that. All done. Let me get you buttoned up." After a few more moments, Sans tucked the dress shirt into Frankie's pants and grinned. "There you are, kiddo. Just two more things."

"Weddings are hard already." Frankie sighed.

"It's going to be fun. I promise." Sans said as he picked up Frankie's little cyan tie. He flipped up Frankie's collar and quickly adjusted the tie.

"Is it harder to do a tie on yourself?" Frankie asked. It had taken Sans much longer to tie his own tie.

"I'm not very good at it." Sans said. "So yeah. If you get good at it, it's not that hard. Now for your jacket." Sans didn't have much trouble putting the jacket on over Frankie's cast. But it was one size too big, Maybe they should have done that with the shirt. Sans quickly buttoned up the jacket and spun Frankie around so he could look at himself in the mirror.

"WOW! I look just like you, Dad!"

"You look very nice." Sans grinned.

"But I look just like you!" Frankie gasped. "That's so… wow! Did you know dad, I want to be just like you when I grow up."

"Aw, kiddo. You could do a lot better than me."

"There's no one better than you, Dad." Frankie hugged his father quickly.

Next it was Papyrus' turn to get all dressed up. He wanted it all to be a surprise, so he closed his eyes while Sans put on his dress shirt, tie, and jacket.

"Alright, Papyrus. Open your eyes." There was a long moment before Papyrus obeyed Sans' order. Frankie held his breath in anticipation.

"OHMYGOD." Papyrus stared at his reflection. His eyes moving from his shiny black dress shoes, to his cyan tie. "OHMYGOD, SANS. I LOOK-"

"You look awesome, Uncle Paps!" Frankie cried. "You look like me and Dad! I love weddings!" Papyrus straightened his tie, and grinned at himself in the mirror. "ATTENTION, HUMAN!"

"uhh… what are you doing, bro?" Sans frowned.

"SANS, I'VE PRACTICED THOSE LINES IN THE MIRROR FOR YEARS. I CAN'T JUST QUIT A HABIT."

"May I remind you," Mettaton suddenly popped up next to Papyrus. "This is a FABULOUS wedding, not an arrest."

"I KNOW THAT!" Papyrus snapped. "I KNOW ALL MY LINES."

"You don't have any lines." Frankie frowned.

"I DO TOO. SANS, TELL YOUR SON-"

"Your brother is right, DEARIE!" Mettaton nodded.

"THANK YOU." Papyrus nodded at himself in the mirror.

"What lines does Papy have?" Sans asked Mettaton.

"Depending on what's IN there are lots of fanTASTic different traditions for a bestman to fulfill." Mettaton replied. "The most important is they've got to give an amaaaazing speech ."

"A SPEECH!" Papyrus said, "FOR UNDYNE."

"Right." Sans nodded.

"But also, Papyrus is going to have to learn to dance."

"Why?" Frankie asked.

"WELL, everyone loves this new tradition! It's totally IN for the bestman to have the first dance with the maid of honor!"

"WHAT?! I mean…" Sans coughed. "That's…"

"I'll teach you how to dance, Papyrus. Everyone's eyes will be on YOU. You'll be the STAR of the show! Besides the newlyweds, of COURSE! This wedding is going to be _fabulous_." Mettaton said. "You should learn from the _best_."

"THAT'S RIDICULOUS! I KNOW HOW TO DANCE! OF COURSE, I KNOW HOW TO DANCE! I AM THE GREATEST DANCER THERE IS."

Mettaton sighed, "If you say so, Darling."

"Can you teach me how to dance, Mettaton?" Frankie asked.

"OF COURSE! You'll be a SHINING STAR in no time!" Mettaton replied.

"WHAT?!" Papyrus turned away from the mirror and looked at Frankie in shock. "YOU'D RATHER AN ENTERTAINER TEACH YOU TO DANCE THAN YOU'RE GREATEST UNCLE?!" Frankie grinned.

"Mettaton's never been around before, Uncle Paps. I learn the greatest from you everyday. Maybe Mettaton can teach me something too."

"CERTAINLY NOT THE GREATE-"

"Excuse me, but you said that the _Maid of Honor_ dances with the _Bestman_?" Sans interrupted.

"SAN-"

"I… did… why?" Mettaton frowned.

"No… reason in particular…" Sans frowned.

"Sans!" Riley came twirling around the corner just at that moment. _Perfect timing._ Frankie nearly burst out laughing. Sans' jaw dropped. "What do you think?"

"Darling!" Mettaton gasped. "Cyan is an aMAZing color on you! You should wear it more often!"

Riley _was_ beautiful. She wore a gorgeous cyan silk dress that came down to her knees. It had three-quarter sleeves that came down a little past her elbows. With it, she wore little black flats. Her long red hair came down around her shoulders. Despite the fact that she was wearing a silky black scarf around her lower face, you could still see she was smiling in her green eyes.

"W-wow...uhhh…I… wow..." Sans stuttered, his whole face had turned blue. Frankie was giggling as he watched his dad stumble over his words.

"WOWIE!" Papyrus grinned, "YOUR DRESS IS THE SAME COLOR AS MY TIE!"

"I think what my dad and Uncle Paps are trying to say is you look really nice, Riley." Frankie said.

"Thank you, Frankie!" Riley gasped. She leaned over and kissed the top of Frankie's skull through her scarf. "I better go see what the other ladies are up to!" She hurried back down the hall. Frankie turned over to Sans and pointed at his skull, making a funny face. Sans glared, crossing his arms, his cheekbones still bright blue.

"Cyan is such a perfect color for this wedding." Mettaton groaned. "It's so _in!_ I just can't even. I better go make sure Undyne is not destroying her suit. My _god_ , that woman has rage issues." Mettaton drifted away from their group and Papyrus turned back to the mirror.

"IT'S SO WEIRD I HAVE TO DANCE WITH RILEY." He said. Sans glared again. "I MEAN, I'VE NEVER DANCED WITH ANYONE BEFORE! I WONDER IF RILEY'S AS GREAT OF A DANCER AS I AM!" While Papyrus was still in awe of how great the cyan tie looked on him, Frankie looked up to see Sans almost pouting. He tugged gently on his dad's sleeve.

"Dad." He whispered.

"Yup, kiddo?" Sans sighed.

"Don't worry," He said. "I'm sure Riley will dance with you too, if you ask." Sans only glared in response. Frankie couldn't hold in his laugh.

* * *

The Wedding was quickly approaching. That week was one of chaos, but much to everyone's relief things seemed to be running smoothly. Friday, the day before the wedding, was a ridiculously sunny day. Riley, along with Frankie, Sans, Papyrus, and Frisk, went to the beach to decorate the small sheltered gazebo the ceremony would be held in. The idea of being near Sans made her nervous. Going to his house the other day to deliver the gift had nearly killed her. God, she felt stupid. " _He totally likes you, Riley._ " Alphys had said. No. It was impossible. She focused quickly on the flowers she was using to decorate the edges of the gazebo with, just then someone touches her shoulder.

"Uh… Ri… where did you want these ribbons?" _Ri?_ She feels her cheeks burn as she stares at Sans. _Ri?!_ She still feels his touch on her shoulder. "Riley?"

"Oh… Oh… umm… just set it here and I'll string it up after I'm done with these."

"You sure you… um… don't want me to do anything?" Sans frowned.

"Oh… You could help if you want." She tried to smile, but she was too nervous.

"Hey. You guys want some snacks?" Frankie held up a large bag of pretzels.

"Oh… Sure. Oh! That reminds me." She turns around and digs in her purse. "Toriel sent me with this." She hands Sans some papers, their hands brush together and she feels her face heat up.

"What's this…?"

"Frankie has a field trip this next week, and… well, this has the permission slip and Toriel's looking… for some help. Some parent volunteers to go on the field trip to help keep track of all the children."

"Oh." Sans frowned. "Where are you going, kiddo?"

"The science center!" Frankie grinned. "We're gonna see all sorts of cool stuff. My teacher says there are lots of different sections. We can learn about scientists and different kinds of sciences. It's gonna be really cool!"

"Wow." Sans nodded. "That sounds exciting. I'll have to sign these… soon as I have a pen…"

"Oh!" Riley spun around and dug in her purse again to find a pen.

"Dad, can you please be a parent volunteer." Frankie begged. "It would be soooo cool if you could come. It would make everything wayyy better."

"Er… I don't know about that, kiddo."

"Please, Dad. It would be so fun! And I know you like science!" Sans' cheekbones turned a light blue. _Oh gosh. So cute._ _ **Shut up, Riley**_ _._

"Well… Alright, kid. I'll go."

"YES!"

"Those are these papers?" Sans frowned, pulling more papers from behind the permission slip.

"Y-yeah."

"You know who else is going, Dad?" Frankie grinned. "I mean as volunteers."

"Hm?" Sans asked, as he signed the papers and filled out the forms.

"Ella's mom is volunteering, and a couple other kids' moms and dads… and… Riley." Sans looked up quickly, her cheeks turning a darker blue.

"Oh." He stared at her for a long moment of embarrassing silence before quickly looking back down at his papers. Her face was burning hot, she could hardly breathe.

"So. How are we setting up these flowers?" Frankie asked.

"Oh… Here. I'll… I'll show y-you."

* * *

"Wedding's tomorrow." Frankie grinned as he crawled under the blankets of his dad's bed. Sans hadn't really unpacked any of his stuff. Frankie didn't know why- too busy this past week, maybe.

"Yup." Sans was already drifting off to sleep, his eyes closed.

"You gonna ask Riley to dance, Dad?" Sans groaned, looking over at Frankie with a frown.

"Don't want to talk about it."

"Daaaaddd! Dad has a crush." Frankie sang.

"Att some point you're gonna have to sleep in your own bed." Frankie's eyes widened.

"N-no… Dad… I can't…" Fear gripped his soul.

"Hey. I didn't mean now, alright?" Sans looked over worriedly at his son. "It's gonna be okay, Frankie. I won't let anything happen to you." Frankie sighed, relief filling him. He hugged Sans tightly. "Try and go to sleep, kiddo. We got a big day tomorrow."

"Alright. I love you, dad." Frankie murmured, slowly drifting off to sleep.

"I love you too, kid." Sans grinned.

* * *

 **REVIEWS FOR CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE:**

 **Ed's. Curious. Kitten:** That was ADORABLE! Sans being double tamed by children! Oh the humanity! And monster-anity...? Oh well! Super cute! XD

 _Ah! I'm so glad you liked it! I hope this one was equally if not more adorable! :D_

 **Midnightsalem:** THE SHIP IS SAILING GUYS, CLIMB ABORD! JUST WATCHOUT FOR A FEELSBERG WE DON'T WANT TO HIT ONE OF THEM! All joking aside though, I love this story.

 _YES! SANSLEY! :D Awesome! So glad! :)_

 **nadiahardar:** THIS IS WHY I NEVER PLAY TRUTH OR DARE! :V

Like the first time I even heard of it as a kid I began walking over to the group with one finger pointing up like " Oh! can I play t-"  
"Who do you have a crush on!?" One of the girls/boys askes another girl/boy.

Me : ... ( ' - ' ) ... ( ' - '')/ ...( ' ~ '') * turns around*. \\(' ;' ')/ " fuck dis shit I'm out."

 _Hehe... yes, classic truth or dare. "Who do you have a crush on?" NO THANKS! :)_

 **anthonyabc268:** I totally knew it hehehe

 _heheh! ;)_

 **Anonymous:** WHY IS EVERYTHING YOU WRITE SO GOOD OMG! I hadn't even realized this had updated and I almost cried when I did. THIS BETTER HAVE SANS AND RILEY MARRIED BY THE END OF IT! DANG IT I REALLY LIKE IT NOW OMGGGG

 _Gosh! thanks so much! :D I am 100% not sorry for making you like it. Sansley is my OTP right now. It's so cute._

 **I guest as much:** You need more butter because you're STILL on a roll. It is very Sans-Tastic that Sans and Riley have secret crushes on each other. (Sorry about the low pun count, I'm really tired)

Nice update! I was smiling through the whole thing. So now we have confessions from both sides and the most mischievous people are the ones that figured it out. Speaking of which, good on frisk and frankie for getting cake for a whole month, I guess Sans will be tree-ting them pretty well until the secret comes out. I can't wait for the next update!

 _Awesome! Feelings are increasing methinks, based on this chapter... and other things I know... *shhhh* Anyways! Thanks for the great reviews! They always make us smile._

 **Asreil Dreemurr:** I WOULD FUCKING GO IF I WASNT A GODDAMN FLOWER WHAT THE FUCK SHIT DAMN PLUS I ONLY JUST DEVELOPED A SMALL SOUL AND MY MOM IS A FUCKING ASSHOLE SHE HAS NEARLY KILLED ME 8 TIMES NOT TO MENTION SHE HAS ADOPTED 8 FUCKING KIDS IN FRONT OF ME FUCK HER OH AND TELL HER FLOWEY, HER FUCKING SON, SHE HAS BEEN NEARLY KILLING WHILE THINING IM FUCKING DEAD, FUCK THIS SHIT IM OUT DDDDDDDIIICKK HOLES

 _Okay. Serious, I have no idea what to say to this. I am so sorry... about your mom... doing those things...?_

 **GenuineGreenTea:** One thing I love about this fic, is that I'm almost completely forgetting its undertale. the characters seem so original, and I love how you've written them. Also, I love the fact that Sans and Riley both like each other, but are afraid to confront one another.

 _I'm... trying to decide if that's a good thing or a bad thing... But at least you like it. And at least the characters feel real and are developing! I'm glad you like it. Yes... Sansley. Soon. Well... relatively soon?_

 **Anonymous:** I just realized, the girls could use FLOWEY at the wedding instead of regular flowers :D (but that would be awful)

 _That's terrifying. And hilarious. Now I can't stop imagining it. Please, send help._

 **Jerry:** I've been sitting here and waiting for the next chapter since Frisk ditched me... Geez guys.

 _Hehe... sorry! I hope this helps! :D_

 **WOW! I love all the reviews! It's soo great! Thanks so much for all the encouragement. (Note how I mentioned our little ship name for Sans and Riley. I think it's adorable. It just has to be used. :) )**

 **See you on the next chapter!**

 **-MH_C**


	25. Chapter 25: Tie Scene and Slow Dance

**How's this for Sansley?**

 **-MH_C**

* * *

Sans stared at himself in the mirror. His suit jacket lay across the chair next to the mirror. He was struggling with his cyan tie. He knew he had to be out on the beach any minute bright sun shone through the window behind him, partly blinding him. _Stupid tie._ His fingers were quickly becoming tangled in a messy knot of blue. _Dammit._ How had it been so easy to fix Frankie's tie, but so hard to fix his own? Sans smiled thinking of his son. The kid was unbelievably excited about this wedding and how he and his uncle and father all matched. _And Undyne too, of course._

Sans groaned aloud, yanking the tie off, and staring at it in frustration there was a gentle knock on the door.

"Come in." He sighed. Lo and behold… _Riley._

"Hey…" Her green eyes sparkled. _Oh god. she's so beautiful._ "Umm… do you need some help?"

"The tie is not… It's not working for me right now." Sans groaned. Riley laughed a little.

"I'll help. Here." She held out her hand and Sans set the long strip of cyan on her palm. "It is kind of complicated when… you're doing it in a mirror." She gently pulled the tie around San's collar.

"Where'd… uh… where'd you learn so much about… ties?" _This is…. too distracting._ Sans could hardly breath. Riley was so close to him he could feel warmth coming off her skin. Her arms were around his shoulders as she straightened his collar. Then she began tying the tie.

A sad look came in her eyes as she spoke in a murmur, "My dad… ummm…. he made me and my sister… l-learn how to do his tie for him. I mean, we did it h-happily. That was kind of before… well, it doesn't matter, now." She was closer now, gazing down at the tie in concentration. Sans studied her, from her long, red hair, to her gorgeous green eyes. _She is perfection._ Was the only way he could describe her. _Oh Riley… if only i could tell her._ Riley looked up suddenly, and they were face to face, inches apart. She froze, her fingers still wrapped around his tie, her cheeks began to glow a bright red, and he was sure his cheekbones were blue.

"Err…" He chuckled, looking away quickly. _Before I do something stupid._ He groaned inwardly. _Dammit, Sans. This is too attached._ His feelings for Riley were so… different. He'd never felt this way before. Like he was… flying? Soaring, really. And he wanted nothing more right now than to pull her into his arms, and… _Dammit. If only she knew. If only…_

Riley's arms came around his shoulders again as she folded his collar over the tie. Her hands were shaking. He could feel them against his bones. He wanted to grab them, steady them, and just ki- _No. She's happy with Iro._

"Your… jacket?" Riley said, but she looked nervous, her cheeks were still a bright red.

"R-right." Sans blinked, and turned towards the chair he had set his jacket on. He pulled it over his arms, and Riley gently took either side of it in her hands and began to button it.

"Do you have your boutonniere?"

"Y-yeah." Sans leaned over and lifted the white rose wrapped in white ribbon from the seat of the chair. Riley gingerly took it from his fingertips. Their fingers brushed and Sans choked on his own breath. _She's with someone else._

Riley gently pinned the rose onto San's jacket. Her fingers moved away from his ribs and Sans heaved a sigh, half of relief and half of disappointment.

"Thanks, Riley." She nodded, and they stood there for a moment silently.

"You know… ummm… S-sans, I wanted… I have to tell you…"

"SANS?!" Papyrus burst into the room. "I CAN'T DO THIS, SANS! I HAVE TO STAND UP IN FRONT OF EVERYONE!"

"Hey." Sans was shot back into reality. _What are you doing?! Are you crazy? You can't fall in love with a girl…_ "Hey, it's gonna be okay, Paps. I'll be up there with you, and you're there for Undyne, right? You don't have to say anything now. Later, when we're all eating."

"RIGHT. UNDYNE HAS LINES FIRST."

"Exactly and it's going to go just fine." Sans smiled. He knew his cheekbones were still a dark blue. He didn't dare glance at Riley, he knew it would only make it worse. "Now. Let's go. Alphys and Undyne are waiting, and then afterwards everyone gets to eat your great spaghetti."

"YOU'RE RIGHT SANS, FOR ONCE! THIS IS GOING TO BE A GREAT WEDDING! LET'S GO!"

* * *

The wedding was awesome! Frankie and Frisk got to carry the two rings, and they did perfect! Afterwards Toriel told Frankie, Frisk, Wren, and Ella that they could all ride in her car to the reception area. Asgore would ride with Papyrus and Sans. Frisk called shotgun, so Ella, Frankie, and Wren had to sit in the back. The two girls were chatting happily about their dresses, cyan dresses. Both of them looked very nice. Frankie was still excited about his tie. He looked just like his dad. He was so proud of it.

"There's going to be lots of dancing there." Toriel said. She was also wearing a long cyan dress.

"Dancing?!" Ella gasped. "I love dancing! It's gonna be so fun!"

"And spaghetti. My Uncle Paps made lots of spaghetti." Frankie said.

"Oh. I like spaghetti." Wren smiled. She was still quiet as ever.

"That's great, 'cause there's always a lot." Ella said.

When they arrived it was beginning to rain, so they hurried inside. The music had already started. Alphys and Undyne would be arriving shortly, but Ella and Frisk couldn't wait. They rushed out onto the dance floor to have some fun, dancing crazily to the music. Wren, on the other hand, stood off to the side nervously. Frankie frowned. She looked upset.

"What's wrong, Wren?" He asked her. She looked up with a frown.

"I've never danced before." Wren said. "Not at a party."

"That's alright. I haven't either. I'll dance with you." He held out his hand, and she smiled.

"You're my bestest friend, Frankie." She took his hand and they both hurried out to where Frisk and Ella were spinning in circles on the dance floor. _I have no idea what I'm doing…._ He looked over to where a few other couples were dancing. The music wasn't too fast paced. He copied one who looked like they knew how to dance. He took Wren's hand in his right hand, placing his left hand on her waist, then led her around in circles on the dance floor. Both of them were sloppy, and off beat, but he didn't notice and neither did she.

"I love dancing!" She gasped. "I feel like Cinderella!"

"You look like Cinderella." Frankie replied. Her cheeks turned a bright red.

"Oh gosh." She murmured.

"Hey, kiddo!" Sans gestured to him. Frankie sighed.

"Yeah?"

"Alphys and Undyne just got here. It's time for the first dance. Alphys and Undyne get to dance first."

"Alright…"

"Thank you, Frankie."

"For what?" Frankie grinned.

"For making me feel like a princess." Wren leaned over and quickly kissed Frankie on the cheekbone, her cheeks a bright pink. Frankie knew his whole face was probably yellow.

"When Alphys and Undyne and Papyrus and Riley are done, you should dance with us." Ella said as she and Frisk joined them on the sidelines.

"Sure! That sounds fun." Frankie grinned. But never, in a million years, would he forget dancing with Wren.

* * *

"Guess we're up." Riley grinned up at Papyrus, even though she knew he couldn't see her smile. The First dance was just finishing and now it would be her and Paps' turn to take the floor.

"I DON'T KNOW…" He looked nervous.

"Hey, it's alright. You're a great dancer. We're gonna do great!" Riley said, taking his hand. "Dancing is fun. Lets just go out there and have some fun!"

"YES! FUN!" The skeleton looked reassured. "JUST WAIT! I'M THE BEST DANCER THERE IS, RILEY!" Riley couldn't reply, she was staring across the room at where Sans stood, his son by his side. The former look frustrated, he had taken off his suit jacket, and loosened his tie- rolling up his sleeves. _God, why? Why is he so….?_ She wanted to smack herself. _Stop it! Sans and you?! Ha! You'll be lucky to get_ _ **anyone!**_ _Let alone Sans!_

"RILEY! THE SONG IS STARTING!" Papyrus gasped. "ARE YOU ALRIGHT?!"

"Huh? Oh, Sorry, Papyrus. Let's dance." She took his hand in her's waiting for him to put his other hand on her waist.

"...NYEHHHH…." Papyrus frowned.

"Here." Riley took his hand and placed it on her waist. "Like that. Now… I'll lead." She led him around the dance floor to the beat of the song. He was terrified, so nervous, but she smiled.

"You're doing great. You're a very good dancer."

"I KNEW IT! I KNEW I WAS THE BEST!" Papyrus screamed, looking directly at Mettaton. "ALL ALONG!" Riley laughed, but her eyes found Sans again, and in that moment she wished with all her soul that she were dancing with him.

* * *

Sans watched as his brother danced with Riley, envy burning in his soul, his face blue. _That should be me._ But at the same time, Sans knew it could never be. She was with Iro, wasn't she? She was so close to him. Just last week, when Sans had gone to ask her to the wedding, he found her asking Iro instead.

" _... do you wanna come with me to the wedding?" She asked, her green eyes glittering with excitement. Iro perked up immediately, and embraced her._

" _Sure! I love weddings!"_

That was all Sans saw, before he left the library, his soul crushed. _Maybe it was for the best… getting into a relationship…. That's_ _ **too**_ _attached._ He frowns deeply. Papyrus wasn't that bad a dancer, but he was very nervous. Riley's eyes showed that she was smiling as _she_ took control, leading the tall skeleton around the dance floor. _I shouldn't ask her to dance… it would only make things worse._

As the dance finished up, Riley walked over to Iro, who was sitting at the bar, engaging in small talk with some friendly monsters. Sans couldn't help but stare. _At least they're happy together..._

"Hey- PUNK!" Undyne shouts, slamming her fist on the table Sans was sitting at, "No frowning at my wedding!" Sans jumps, his gaze snapping to the fish woman in front of him.

"Sorry… just spacing out." Sans replies quickly, Undyne grins, looking over to where Sans had been staring.

"You're staring at Riley?!" She crows, showing her off-white sharp teeth in a wild grin.

"N-No, I was-"

"You should ask her to dance! She-" Undyne stops herself, clearly holding something back, "I'm sure she'd say yes!"

"Uh… m-maybe." Sans' cheekbones burned. _I shouldn't…. I really shouldn't._

"Anyways! Me an' Alphy are gonna dance- i heard the…" Undyne grins " _slow dance_ is coming up soon! FUHUHUH!" Undyne dashes away, still grinning wildly.

 _The slow dance….? I shouldn't… I really. Really shouldn't…._

* * *

"So, i was thinking about getting more reference books for the older kids, since we don't have very many… what do you think?", Iro asked. Riley and him had been talking about the library for the past 20 minutes.

"I think that sounds great!" Riley smiles, fully aware that Iro couldn't see it.

Iro nods. Another song begins.

"Wanna dance?" Iro exaggerates his hand out to her, it kind of reminds her of Mettaton. She laughs,

"Sure, nerd." She puts her hand in his. Riley didn't really know how to dance, and apparently, neither did Iro, because they just kinda moved to the dance floor and started going to the beat. Then again, everyone appeared to be doing that.

"So anyways, as I was saying about reference books!" Iro has to yell over the music, Riley just laughs,

"Can we continue this conversation another time?!" Iro laughs as well. _I wonder how Sans is doing?_ Riley can't help but think about the short skeleton. She glances over at him. He's still sitting at the table. _hmm…_

Suddenly, the song stops. Mettaton, who was the DJ, took over the microphone,

"OH yes, beauties! I'm sure you _all_ know what time it is~ Grab your lover: it's time for the _slow dance_ ~" The crowd cheers, a few wolf-whistles can be heard.

Iro wiggles his eyebrows at Riley, who scoffs in response.

"You are such a _nerd_."

"I'm proud of it."

Riley shakes her head,

"Of course you are."

Iro holds out a hand, exaggerating like he did before,

"May I have this dance?"

Riley laughs,

"Maybe if you stop being a loser."

"Deal."

Riley puts her hand in his, just as a low voice sounds from behind her,

"May _I_ have this dance?"

Riley spins around to reveal… _Sans._ Despite his semi-formal appearance, with his loosened tie, and halfway rolled up sleeves… _holy hell. he's handsome. help._

"U-UH… I…" Riley turns desperately back to Iro, who has the absolutely widest grin on his face as he draws his hand away from her,

"Go ahead. I'm gonna get a drink. Have fun you two!" Iro laughs as he makes his way to the punchbowl. It's just Riley and Sans as the music begins.

She could feel the blush rising on her face, hoping Sans doesn't notice. He holds out his hand, she takes it. It feels like she's on autopilot as he leads her out to the edge of the dancefloor.

His face is tinted slightly blue, but he doesn't speak a word. Riley's just about to speak when he puts a hand on her waist. _ERROR ERROR OH MY GOD. HE'S SERIOUS. HE'S GONNA DANCE. WITH ME._ Riley is breathless, her heart pounding. The other hand finds hers as they begin to dance. _HOW DO YOU DANCE?_ She fumbles a bit, nearly falling into him. She can feel her face burning with blush.

Sans chuckles, the blue on his face burning brighter as well. He pulls her just a little closer, and that makes Riley absolutely lose it. _Oh my god. WE'RE DANCING. TOGETHER. AAAAAAAAH!_ The skeleton guides her along, moving in slow circles to the beat of the song,

"y-y'know, for someone who 'doesn't dance'... I-I'd say you're doin' p-pretty good," Riley whispers, not even sure if he heard it. He did.

"I uh… heh." _oh my god. I LIKE HIM. OH MY GOD. WHAT IF HE KISSES ME. AAAAH!_ Sans just chuckles, shrugging. A wild cheer can be heard from a nearby table, Riley turns to see Undyne and Alphys giving her a thumbs up, giant grins on their faces. She sends them a glare, but they just smile even wider.

She turns back to Sans, making direct eye contact with him. His entire face is blue now, and she's sure her entire face is red. _Oh god. is he leaning in? IS HE LEANING IN?_ Sans moves even closer, Riley's heart skips a beat. _He's gonna-_

"AAAALRIGHT BEAUTIES AND GENTLEBEAUTIES, THAT CONCLUDES THE _SLOW DANCE_! NOW WHO'S READY FOR THE _MACARENA?~"_ The crowd cheers, Riley looks up at Mettaton, and when she looks back,

Sans is gone.

* * *

 **REVIEWS FOR CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR:**

 **Ed's. Curious. Kitten:** SO MUCH CINNAMON ROLL SWEETNESS! SEND HELP FOR MY TEETH! XD

 _How's this one for your teeth? Probably not much better..._

 **Mr. Indigo:** Ok I've been having a horrible day today and you know what, reading this has really helped, thank you. Also, I keep squealing like a fan-girl when I read a scene where Riley and Sans are together... Is that bad?

 _Aww! I'm sad you had a bad day, but I'm so glad this cheered you up! I always find immersing myself in my favorite fandoms and fanfictions cheers me up on bad days too. *cough* or writing *cough* Anyways! No, that is 100% not a bad thing. That is the opposite of a bad thing. I know the future and I /always/ scream when Sans and Riley are together._

 **HourglassMadness: (for chapter 23)** I'll try to keep this one short since I tend to get a bit... Overexcited when I write reviews on your story. (I JUST LOVE YOUR STORY SO MUCH)  
It just occurred to me that maybe the vows you mentioned in the prophecy might be Alphys and Undyne's vows.  
Very convenient that there just happens to be a tree house... I have a feeling that tree house will be very important in the coming chapters.  
Also, when Sans was in the tree house and Frankie called out to Riley I couldn't help but chant in my head: "Sans and Riley sitting' in a tree!"  
:] good luck with the next chapter!

 _I don't know why I didn't see this when I posted twenty-four. Maybe you posted it after I posted chapter twenty-four. I dunno. Regardless I shall reply now!_

 _Yes, that's a safe bet! Guess you'll have to see. :D_

 _Hehe... good idea. Sans and Riley sitting in a tree. DEFINITELY k-i-s-s-i-n-g..._

 _I'm so glad you like the story! :) That's so awesome! Thanks soooo much!_

 **Guest:** Wait a second. THE PROPHECY IS HAPPENING!

 _YAS! (did you think I would let you down?!) BEHOLD: CHAPTER TWENTY SIX. THE PROPHECY IS FULFILLED!_

 **I guest as much:** Awesome update! Papyrus and Frankie were awesome, it all felt like something that would actually happen. I loved Sans' reaction when the rug was pulled out from under him on the best man thing, but he really needs to stop dancing around the subject and just tell someone( preferably more reliable then two children). I can't wait for the next update!

 _Oh Sans... He is certainly a conflicted soul. I suspect that as soon as the wedding excitement is over Undyne's gonna make sure he asks Riley out first. After all, she and Alphys do have a bet. She's gotta win back that money somehow..._

 **Asreil:** Can you tell my mom that flowey is her son? Pls I mean she will now hate me but, I want to live with toriel again.

And I hate soreil because I walked into the room while they were fucking sooooo...yeah I fucking hate it.

 _I'll make sure to tell your mom. I'm sure she'll be happy to see you._

 _My gosh. I did not need that. But uhh... You won't find any Soriel here. So don't worry about it. only Sansley._

 **Anonymous:** (Send me help too XD) OMG STOOOOP! I WANT TO HATE IT BUT I CANT DANGIT WHYYYY MUST YOU DO THIS TO MEEE! (But for real this was really good :0) Waiting for these updates is excruciating ;-;

 _Stop resisting. It's futile. Sansley is beautiful. You know it. ;)_

 **I'm sad:** Not because of the story but because none of the fanfictions I like other than this one are updating...

:(

I like this update btw

 _Well, I'm glad we're updating so you've got something to read! I hope you like this chapter too!_

 **Gazzy:** I'm a huge Soriel shipper and I STILL like Sansley!

 _Hehe... ;)_

 **sonicxjones:** Well I can't wait to C-YANother chapter!

 _FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, SANS! STOP PLAGUING MY LIFE WITH PUNS. (as a side note, that was actually pretty clever, and I laughed really hard when I first read it)_

 **Gosh! Thanks all so much for the fabulous reviews! Can't wait to see what you have to say about the TENSION in this chapter! :D**

 **See you next time!**

 **-MH_C**


	26. Chapter 26: You're so Beautiful

**_As a small side note- if any of the answers to the reviews made zero sense let me know, I am so tired right now it's not even funny. *sigh* Off to sleep now! :)_**

* * *

 _Idiot._ Sans wanted to scream at himself as he splashes cool water on his face. _You're such a coward._ He looked at himself in the mirror. _Pathetic._ Sans wanted to be anywhere but here at this point, but he couldn't just _leave_. He finds himself teleporting over to the bar. it was far enough away from where Riley was.

Sans was pleased to find Grillby working as the bartender. Grillby greeted him, asking if he wanted some ketchup, Sans shook his head, chuckling weakly,

"I think i'm gonna need somethin' a little stronger than that, pal…" Grillby asks what's wrong.

"I… heh. it's stupid." Grillby says tell him anyways.

"Alright. Fine. I really… like this girl… but can't tell her…" Grillby nods sympathetically. "And she's out with this guy now and… I think they like each other? I dunno, Grillbz. this is all a huge mess." Sans puts his head in his hands, chuckling. "I don't know what to do…" Grillby says he should go for it.

"As much as I'd like to… I can't. She's…. god, Grillby, she's the most beautiful girl I've ever seen. I can't even imagine for one second why she would want to go out with…" he gestures to himself, " _This._ "

Grillby is about to retort, but Sans cuts him off,

"Just… gimme the strongest stuff y'got so I can forget about what happened, alright?"

Grillby doesn't budge. Sans looks desperately up at him,

"heh. C'mon Grillbz…"

The fire elemental just stares at him.

"I'm not gonna ask her out, alright? She's probably off with Iro right now…"

Grillby sighs.

Sans sighs.

"Sans?" a horrifyingly familiar voice sounds behind him.

 _Riley._

Grillby walks off quickly. _Thanks for the help, Grillbz._

Sans turns slightly, getting a glimpse of her. Getting a glimpse of the most beautiful girl he's ever seen.

"Oh uh… heya." He doesn't meet her gaze. She sits on the bar stool next to him,

"Is everything a-alright?" She seems just as nervous as he is. Sans wants to scream,

"Yeah. everything's fine."

She taps a rhythm on the bar,

"Can I uh… t-tell you something?"

"Shoot." Sans hates how casual he sounds.

"My… M-My scarf." Sans glances at her, she looks afraid. Sans stays silent. "When I… when I was a kid…" there were tears welling in her eyes, Sans want to reach out and grab her hand or something in reassurance, but he's frozen. "M-My dad he…. he…" She's crying now. Sans can't let that happen. He grabs her hand, gently squeezing. A split second later, she wraps him in an embrace. "I-I'm sorry f-f-for crying… I just…" Sans shushes her, returning the hug.

"Do you wanna go somewhere else to talk? It's kinda loud in here…"

She nods, wiping tears away as she releases Sans. He doesn't let go of her hand as he leads her out of the building. It's pouring outside, but they stay under the covered walkway. There were a few monsters there, but it was a lot quieter than inside. The two find a seat on a nearby bench, sitting close to each other.

"You don't have to tell me, if it's too much…" She shakes her head, sniffling.

"N-no. you deserve to know." He nods. Riley takes in a shaky breath,

"My d-dad was abusive. N-Not at first… but he lost his j-job and started drinking. He n-never hurt me to me, but he hurt my m-mom. And s-sometimes my sister, Ally, s-stepped in… It g-got bad. He th-threatened to b-burn the house d-down and… my mom… didn't believe h-him… and…" Sans gives her hand a reassuring squeeze. "A-and he did. M-me and my mom got out… but my… sister…" She buries her face in Sans' shoulder, crying gently. "O-Of course, w-we didn't get out c-completely unscathed... " He exhales, letting out a breath he didn't even realize he was holding in.

"Your scarf…"

She nods. Riley pulls away from him, chuckling softly,

"I-I don't know why I still cry a-about it… it was o-over 10 years ago, now… heh" His soul aches for her,

"I'm sorry…"

"Don't be. I-It's my dad's fault a-and he's in prison now. now and for the rest of his life. It's… okay."

Sans finds himself looking at her silken black scarf, he inhales,

"C-can I?"

She looks at him, something like fear flashing in her eyes.

"I-It's not pretty, Sans… I… I dont want you to see me l-like that."

"Please."

Riley doesn't meet his gaze, but nods. Sans raises his hands to either side of her face, as soon as his fingers find the edge of her scarf, she stiffens. He pauses before proceeding, his hands shaking as he pulls down the silken fabric.

"Oh." he lets out a quiet breath.

"I-I'm sorry I-I w-warned yo-"

"You are so beautiful, Riley."

She looks over at him in surprise. He places a hand on the side of her face, there were burn marks scarring the sides. But he didn't care. She was so, so beautiful.

A few tears of disbelief fall from her eyes and onto her cheeks, sans wipes them away.

"Y-You're just saying that." She turns away, his hand falls from her face.

"No. I mean it, Riley. You are so beautiful." He gazes directly into her green eyes, meaning every single word. She lets out a quiet sob, burying her face in his shoulder once more.

"Thank you…"

* * *

So. _He knows who I really am now._ They sat together on the bench outside, the sound of the rain comforting her, the feeling of his arms making her smile through her tears.

"Are you alright?" He murmured. He held her in his arms tightly. She nodded slowly, looking up at him with a smile.

"You're the first person I've ever told about this." She whispered. She was so grateful to him. Never had she expected anyone to still look at her the way he did after she showed them her scars. He still saw her as a friend, as an actual person. He looked past the scars to see who she really was.

"Why me?" He asked. "Why not… Alphys? Why not… Iro?" She had thought about this a lot. She trusted Sans more than anyone.

"I… I trust you, Sans. I feel safe with you." She smiled. "You're the first friend I've had since… Ally." She was going to cry again. _Stop. Augh._

"Hey…" He smiled, "I'll always be your friend, Ri." She quickly wiped away her tears again. He gently pressed his hand to her cheek again. "You have these… all over?" She nodded slowly.

"Look." She pulled her scarf off of her neck to reveal the dark marks there. "My upper body was badly burned… so the scars are worse. Here, around my shoulders and down my chest and back. My lower arms are…. Not as bad, that's why I got three quarter sleeves." She shows him her lower arm and wrist, she winces looking at the splotchy colors. Less noticeable, but still there. "And…" She pulls up her dress just enough to show him her lower thigh, "Here, up to my hip. My lower legs:" She held them out for him to see, "Pretty bad… I guess. I did this for Alphys and Undyne. I hoped no one would pay much attention to my legs. You can see how dark it is.." She traced her finger across her knee.

"Oh. Riley… How… how old were you?" She did the math in her head quickly. She always tried not to think about it.

"Twelve. I was twelve." He was thinking, as his expression changed to horror she knew he was thinking about Frankie. She had only been three years older than Frankie when this had happened.

"I… I'm sorry."

"I… I try not to think about it." She sighed.

"Look at me." She turned so she was facing him. "These don't make a difference to me at all. You're beautiful, Riley, both inside and out." She shook her head with a smile.

"This… this is why you're my _best_ friend." Then she pulled him into another tight hug. _God, I wish we could be more._ But she believed so firmly in her soul that no one could love her. Not her, who was covered in scars. Not her, who carried so much baggage.

"Hey." Sans grinned. "I'll always be your friend, Ri. No matter what." He took her hand and pulled her up. _He always knows what to say._

"You know… You're a good dancer, Sans. You should… get b-back in there." His cheekbones turn bright blue and he looks down at his hands.

"Actually. I'd much rather…" He frowned, and there was a long pause before he continued. "I'd much rather do this." He gently took her hand and pulled her into his arms, humming softly he led her around the little walkway, safe from the rain. Her cheeks turned bright red. _He'd rather stay out here with me…?_

"You're so beautiful, Riley." He said again, as if to reassure her. She wasn't sure she could quite believe it, though he spoke with such confidence. God, she wanted to kiss him. _You need to just get this off your chest. It's better to be rejected than to never know, to always be tormented by it._

"Sans… I have to tell you something-"

"There you are!" _Iro…_ She was half-relieved, half-frustrated, but she scrambled to pull up her scarf again. "I was worried when you disappeared. Oh! Hey, Sans." Sans stepped away from Riley as if she were fire, his cheekbones a burning blue. Iro grinned. "Oh...heh…. Am I interrupting something?"

"No…" Sans mumbled. "S'alright."

"So, uhh… anyways. They're cutting the cake. You wanna come in and get a piece?"

"Sure." Riley smiled, but she looked back at Sans sadly. On the skeleton's face was a look of defeat, dismay. _Doesn't matter. He could never love you, Riley. No one could ever love you._

* * *

Frankie found his dad sitting outside alone. Sans had a look of utter defeat on his face. Whatever he was upset about he had given up- given in. But Frankie was too exhausted to notice.

"Hi, Dad…" Frankie murmured, pulling Sans into a tight hug.

"Hey, kiddo. What time is it?"

"Almost midnight." Frankie still didn't let go, so Sans wrapped his arms around him hugging him back.

"Oh boy." Sans yawned. "Did you have fun?"

"Yes! I love weddings! I…" The kiddo yawned, and then giggled. "I saved you a piece of cake. It's in the car with Uncle Paps."

"Thanks!" Sans said, but he couldn't bring himself to smile. "We should go home. It's hours past your bedtime." Frankie nodded sleepily.

"Mmkay." Frankie pulled away, and took Sans' hand happily.

"Say, Frank?"

"Mmhm?" Frankie said. Sans led his son through the reception hall, which was mostly empty by now, back out towards the front parking lot where Paps' car was.

"What do you say you try and sleep in your own bed tonight?"

"My own…?" Frankie frowned, he was a little afraid of the idea. He hadn't slept without Sans in weeks. The idea of being alone… it was terrifying. But, he was nine. That was pretty old. And Justice would probably sleep with him, and he'd have Sir Barkley. So he wouldn't be _all_ alone. And he had a new superman nightlight. That would keep him safe. And his room was right next to Sans' room, so if he got scared, he could just walk a couple feet down the hall and crawl into Sans' bed. "A...alright…"

"Really?" Sans frowned. "Are you sure?"

"I can try…" He wasn't 100% positive, but since today had been a good day maybe he wouldn't have a bad dream.

"If you even get scared a little bit, Frankie, you can come to my room." Sans said. "Alright?"

"I know. It's 'cause you're the best, Dad. I'll try to be brave, I promise."

"Aw, kiddo. You are brave, but sometimes even the bravest people get scared. And that's alright."

By the time they got home Frankie was half asleep, despite the excitement of the day. Sans carried him inside, the house, Papyrus following after them excitedly. Sans pulled back Frankie's blankets and laid him down on his bed.

"Look, Justice is right here." Sans smiled. "And here's Sir Barkley."

"Thanks, Dad. I love you."

"Love you too, kid." Sans grinned.

That was the last Frankie remembered before he fell asleep.

 _He was standing in the reception hall of Alphys and Undyne's wedding, but it was completely empty, and the lights were off. The only light shining in on the room was from a window. It cast gray shadows on the walls. Frankie shivered. He was utterly alone._

" _E...everyone else m-must be outside." He frowned. He had to find his Dad. "D-dad?!" His voice echoed through the room. He hurried to one of the three double doors in the hall, and pushed against it. Locked? It wouldn't budge. He hurried to another. The same- it was locked. "Dad?!" The third was also locked. "DADDY?! WHERE ARE YOU?!"_

" _You're looking for someone?" A familiar voice hissed._

" _B-Brendan?" Frankie turned slowly to see Brendan standing in the center of the room, but his jaw hung- broken. A chill ran down Frankie's spine. Was that what he did? It was terrifying. "I...I… B-Brendan, I'm sorry… You...you were hurtin W-wren. I couldn't let you-"_

" _You did this to me!" Brendan whispered, his eyes wide._

" _I didn't mean-"_

" _And… now…." Brendan slowly raised a hand, pointing a finger at him, "You'll...pay…"_

" _No! Please, don't touch m-me!" Frankie gasped._

" _Touch you?" Another voice hissed. Brendan's father stepped out from the shadows, his baseball bat held tightly, and raised high. "Who said… we were going to touch_ _ **you**_ _?"_

" _Wh-what…?" Frankie whispered. Then, much to Frankie's utter horror, Brendan and his father stepped aside to reveal Sans. The older skeleton was on on his hands and knees. There were cracks in his bones, his cheekbones were streaked with tears, his eyes held agony._

" _D-dad?!" Frankie gasped._

" _You're going to pay." Someone hissed. Another Red X member stepped out from the shadows. And then another._

" _Don't touch him!" Frankie screamed, his fists engulfed in yellow magic._

" _YOU'RE GOING TO PAY!" Brendan shrieked. Brendan's father raised his bat, and swung. Sans reached out for help, but it was too late. The bat hit Sans' skull with a resounding crack, and Sans turned to dust before his son's eyes. All that remained was his blue coat._

 _Frankie screamed at the top of his lungs, falling to his knees. Tears streamed down his cheekbones. All that remained… was Sans' blue coat._

Frankie woke up screaming again. He took in a gasping breath and then sobbed, his bones shaking. They had killed his father, again, and it burned- ached in his soul. He was delirious, gripping his blankets as if he were still holding on to Sans' coat.

"DAD! COME BACK!"

"Frankie?!" The door to Frankie's bedroom burst open, Sans stood in the doorway. "Frankie, are you alright?!"

"Dad…? Is it really you…? You're…?"

"Aww, kiddo, I...I'm sorry..." Sans held out his arms and Frankie grabbed him, quickly pulling him into a hug.

"D-dad… D-dad… don't…. please don't… don't leave…."

"Shh… I won't leave, kid, I promise."

"Th...they… they killed you..." Frankie whispered. "I watched them k-kill… you." Sans was silent for a long moment before murmuring,

"It was just a dream. Just a dream..." Frankie sobbed harder, pulling Sans closer. He knew that. He knew it was just a dream, but a terrible fear gripped his soul. If Red X found him, would they hesitate? Probably not. And because Sans had protected Frankie last time would they kill him first? "Hey… Frankie… It's alright. You can come sleep in my room. I won't let anything happen."

"O-okay."

"It's going to be alright, kiddo. I'm not going anywhere."

"Y-you promise?" Frankie whispered.

Sans nodded firmly. "I promise."

* * *

 **REVIEWS FOR CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE:**

 **Ed's. Curious. Kitten:** *leers at Mettaton* You had ONE JOB!  
I have officially given up on my teeth. They're candy coated at this point. GO GET YOUR SKELETON MAN, RILEY! DON'T LET YOUR DREAMS BE DREAMS!

 _I cannot even tell you how much I absolutely love your last comment. I just. I can't even. SHE HAS DONE IT. SHE HAS FOUND HIM!_

 _Unfortunately... her dreams are still dreams._

 **OppsieDasi:** Wait...  
What?  
No!  
No no no noooo! No! No!  
SANS! COME BACK!

 _Oops... sorry? Nyeheheh! Hope this chapter made it better? ;)_

 **CitrisDragon:** Holy crap. You're killing me with all this fluff. Just make them kiss already!

Seriously though, I absolutely love this story.

 _I am pretty sure this involves spoilers but... mmmmmmm *cough* soon *cough*_

 **Davewott:** OMG SO MUCH YES! I love IT!

 _AWESOME! :D_

 **Midnightsalem:** ERROR ERROR DOES NOT COMPUTE THE FLUFF ITS SO CUTE!

 _It's hilarious that we've promised pain. I just... wow. It has come so far. I'm glad you like it! FLUFF ALL AROUND! Probably more pain too, but... FLUFF!_

 **HourglassMadness:** (When Sans said that Riley was with Iro)  
THE NEXT FEW HOURS ARE GOING TO BE VERY UNPLEASANT FOR YOU!  
Oh my gosh when Sans thought that, I was filled with the sudden urge to go NO MERCY on Iro's back! The thing is, Iro seems completely oblivious that he's getting in the way!  
(Cue the science teacher from Frankenweenie)

 _I really...nnnnnhhhgggg... I really can't say anything to this without completely giving away something and it irks me. But yes, Iro does need to get out of the way. SANSLEY, IRO! SANSLEY!_

 **sonicxjones:** I'm glad you like that pun, I got all the TIE in the world to make em.

 _Why. Why must you all do this to me?_

 **Anonymous:** OMG I SCREAMED WHEN I READ THIS! Are we going to find out about Riley's scarf next chapter? Is she just insecure? :0 I'm not even going to resist the fact that I love Sansley anymore, this chapter was perfect!

 _This is the most beautiful thing I have ever read. Trust me, I still scream sometimes it's gonna be amazing. I promise. And also- YES. SANSLEY! :D_

 **Guest:** Riley: ERROR ERROR  
*Error appears*  
Error: Who called?  
Author: CUT!  
Error:: Whoops.

 _Yes. Riley, shhh... It's okay. It's just gonna get better._

 **StarBee24:** AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH! SO MUCH CUTE! And he teleported away hehehe...so adorable XD

 _yessss and hopefully loads more to come. ;)_

 **anthonyabc268:** Great job the creativity is amazing i like how erm ... Cute it is (manliness gone for a few secends) but hey at least undyne have that punk a little push hehehe

 _This is probably the second most beautiful thing I have ever read. Shhh... it's cute. You know it. Yesss... and later she will be nudging them more, methinks._

 **AceLegends:** I love this. Keep it up.

One tiny detail I really liked is how you guys managed to dodge the question of what Frisk was wearing. Boys wear suits, girls wear dresses, so what would frisk wear? I really like how you managed to keep them gender neutral so far, and this is just one tiny detail that adds to the perfection of this story.

Still curious though...what's behind the scarf? Will grandpop's Eleanor have more significance later? What about Red X? If Frisk is true pacifist, why were there resets after reaching the surface? Was it someone else, or did Frisk have a motive? Welp, I'd just like to say it again; I really love your story, and you don't know how difficult it was to not review on old chapters! I just couldn't wait till I caught up so I could review lmao

 _Ah! That's awesome! I'm glad you noticed. That was just something where I was kind of like: uhhhh... what should Frisk wear? I dunno. Guess I just won't even say anything. And I *hate* that because I like to paint a picture but I think for Frisk it's important to just... not sometimes. It's harrdddd though!_

 _So, Guess you got the answer to your first question. I'm not sure about Eleanor. I guess we'll have to see what happens. Parts of this story are just developing as they're written I think. Red X is definitely going to play a HUGE role later. I know that for sure. As for the resets and stuff... augh I don't know... my cousin and I haven't really discussed it in detail. Just basically: They happened sometimes. So... we probably should do that. :P_

 _Yes! Review away! :D_

 **Guest:** (OHH MY GOD I READ THIS IN CLASS AND THE SLOW-DANCE SCENE KILLED ME!  
(( In a good way though heheh...))  
IM 100% CERTAIN THAT MY FACE LOOKED LIKE THIS) \/ \/ \/

•/_/•  
shit... please no one notice me /

But GREAT chapter (like always), I really enjoyed that part (even with some of my classmates lookin at me "Bugger off, You can't understand how this feels!")with the slow-dance!  
(OH HELL YEAH UNDYNE!)

"Come on Riley! Show us what you're hiding under that scarf!"

 _Heheh... I have sent my cousin some of everyone's reviews while she was in class and she's always like "STOP. I AM SMILING LIKE AN IDIOT AND EVERYONE'S STARING AT ME!" (This is an example of how EVERYONE'S REVIEWS ARE AWESOME AND SO ENCOURAGING! THANKS SOOO MUCH! :DDDDD ) AHH! I'm so glad you like the slow-dance scene! More cuteness soon mayhaps. :)_

 **Anon:** Aaaaahhhhhh Sansley is so cute! I can't wait for them to finally get together... :)  
I love their reactions to their feelings for each other (so much blushing) and I think it's hilarious they haven't figured out each other's feelings yet (because they both blush so much!). XD

 _Ahh! You all ship Sansley now and it's amazing and like a dream come true. It's so funny because the original idea for the story was just Frankie and Sans and then we thought mmm maybe Sans should get a girl... maybe Sans should get... a human girl? I dunno. risky... so what should her name be. Wait... wait... If we're shipping Sans with a girl- a human girl- what about... what about Riley? RILEY?! YAS! I SHIP IT. (that is 100% truthfully the conversation that happened when we decided on Sansley). ANYWAYS! Yes, the blushing is my FAVORITE! Soooo cute. :) I'm gonna have to post a little draw I did recently that I like to call blush (on our tumblr). It's amazzzing. (because blush)._

 **Secretkeeper626:** Is there a 'M or MissingNo. style rash or scar underneath that scarf?

 _Well... I think this chapter answered your question! The mystery of the scarf has been solved! :D_

 **SilerofWorlds:** If you hear crying, its because this chapter was too damn cute for its own good, and has given me a chronic case of the feels.  
Seriously though, keep up the great work. This story has been amazing so far.

 _Aww! Thanks! That's awesome! We're so glad you like it!_

 **I guest as much:** Great update! The whole way through reading this was just like fluff on fluff on drama, and it was awesome. I loved the Frankie/Wren moment and I could literally feel the tension when Sans asked Riley to dance. But now I'm wondering why Sans pulled the disappearing act, now Riley is probably going to get the wrong idea, go into a relationship with Iro because she thinks she has no chance with Sans, and eventually have a dramatic conversation with Sans in the rain that helps them both come to understand their feelings for each other after a long period of both giving the other the silent treatment and dancing around conversations with each other! Actually, never mind, I'm probably reading too far into this, I can't wait for the next update!

 _Thanks! Those are fabulous ideas. There is however one thing that wouldn't work based on something no one knows yet... so... I guess you'll find out soon! *singing* Secret! Secret! Hush... hush... hush! ;)_

 **Asreil:** Whoooooooooohoooooo OMG 10/10 MLG NO SCOPE DORITOS AND MT DEW OMG 8373947494666/10 BEST CHAPTER EVER OMG ... Wait where is frisk?OH RIGHT SHE FUCKING LEFT ME. that means I can say dirty words...Wenier

 _Wow. Okay... shhhh... It's okay. Breathe in... and just calm yourself..._

 **I know I always end these little sections with WOW! but seriously, that is the only thing I can think of to say! Getting reviews from you all is sooo awesome! THANKS SO MUCH! :D See you on the next chapter!**

 **-MH_C**


	27. Chapter 27: Confronting Iro

**This one's a bit short, but it's definitely fun! :D**

 **-MH_C**

* * *

Alphys and Undyne didn't have much of a honeymoon planned, but Mettaton gave them the couple's suite at one of his big MTT resorts, so they were off having fun for a week in the next town over- at the beach. That week was exciting for Frankie as well in that it was the week of his field trip to the science center, and his dad was one of the parent volunteers. He couldn't quit talking about it.

"We're going to see all sorts of cool stuff, Dad! My teacher says there's a room where you can build your own electricity circuits and make a light bulb light up, or a little fan spin, or both! Will you help me build a cool one?!"

"Sounds like a lot of fun." Sans nodded. "Sure, I'll help."

"Awesome! We'll build the coolest one ever! And we'll see lots of other cool experiments and stuff. It's going to be awesome!"

The day of the field trip finally arrived and Frankie was overjoyed. Sans packed them both a lunch and Franke got ready by packing a backpack with his little notebook and pencil. He wanted to write down ideas for the little report they'd have to make after their trip. They had to write about what their favorite part of the center was and why. Thankfully, Sans had also promised to help him work through that. Sans was, after all, the best dad in the whole world. What was amusing was Riley was on this trip with them, and far more amusing- so was Iro. Sans, Frankie knew, did not like Iro. It was probably justifiable. Frankie didn't know Iro very well, but he figured the dragon-man was somehow getting in the way of Sans and Riley maybe getting together- which was something Frankie approved of.

When they arrived at the Science Center, Frankie was happily buddied up with Frisk. "Don't worry, Dad! Frisk and I will look out for each other, and you can make sure we're all good! And you can help us with the fun stuff, right?"

"Sure!" Sans nodded. "Where are we going first?" The morning was speeding by. Sans, Frankie, Frisk, and couple other classmates had a lot of fun, looking through the different rooms. Frankie got a lot of ideas about his report, but his favorite room was the one where they could build their own circuits. Frankie and his classmates spent near an hour in there. Sans helped him build a really long one that lit up three light bulbs and made four fans run!

"Dad! This is the room I want to write about in my report." Frankie grinned. "It's awesome!"

"It was pretty fun." Sans chuckled. "Guess when we get home I'll help ya with that."

"Awesome." Frankie nodded.

 _I have to use the restroom._ Frisk signed with a sheepish smile. _Guess, since you're my buddy, FRANKIE, you'll have to come in too._

"Alright." Frankie shrugged, following Frisk into the bathroom. "You wait out here, Dad."

"Alright. You two don't take too long."

"Okay!"

* * *

Frankie and Frisk disappeared into the bathroom. Sans took a deep breath. He hadn't really quite been himself. He was enjoying the science center, of course, he loved science. But ever since the wedding he couldn't get Riley and Iro out of his head. It was agonizing to him, that he couldn't tell Riley, that he couldn't… just… No. What had to happen was he had to apologize to Iro, and then get out of the dragon-man's way. Fate would have it that Riley and the dragon-man came walking that way, with a large group of kids.

"I'm going to use the bathroom quick!" Riley said, with what must of been a smile. Sans could see it in her gorgeous eyes. He loved her eyes- they were so pretty, green with gold flecks.

"Alright! Be quick. It's almost lunch time!" Iro grinned. "Why don't all you kids stop and get some water?" Iro gestured to the water fountain. _It's time. Just, gotta get it out before it drives me crazy._ While the kids lined up at the water fountain, Sans approached Iro.

"Oh! Hey, Sans, what's up?"

"Nothing… nothing much." Sans frowned. He wasn't sure what to say.

"Cool. I'm glad everyone's having a fun time here! The science center isn't as fun as the library, but it's certainly close."

"Umm...so… Iro…?"

"Yup?" Iro grinned happily. He was such a happy guy. In the end, Riley would be so much better off with him. She deserved someone with less baggage, someone who was as carefree as the librarian. Someone who wasn't terrified, and waiting for a reset that could come any moment. She deserved someone who could focus more on their relationship, and less on their nightmares.

"I… I wanted to put this out there, because… uh… I wanted to explain why I've been acting so… coldly towards you."

"Oh." Iro looked down with a sigh.

"Look, It's nothing against you or anything. It's me, and I want to apologize for it because it's wrong. Look," Sans groaned inwardly. _How am I supposed to say this?!_ "I… I have… " _What do I have?_ "Feelings… I have… I really like Riley. A lot." He was sure his whole face was blue now. Iro was about to say something, but Sans continued, wanting to get it all out. "But! I've come to terms with the fact that she's happier with you. I wanted to just get this off my chest, and I wanted you to know that… I won't be getting in your… way…?" Iro was laughing, snorting really.

"Oh my god, Sans." He choked. "You should have said something sooner."

"Wh-what?" Sans frowned. _I am being completely honest with this… this loser and… He's laughing at me?!_ Iro snorted again, laughing harder.

"Sans… I'm sorry… oh my god. Look, bro... Look… I don't like Riley like that. We're not a 'thing'." Sans blinked.

"Y-you aren't?"

"No! Sans, Riley and I are really good friends, but… umm… I don't like her, man. I'm… I have a boyfriend." _Oh. My. God. Sans, you are such an idiot._ Sans put his skull in his hands. _Oh god, this is embarrassing._ Iro was still laughing his head off.

"So… you mean… She's not…?"

"We're not together, Sans." Iro said between laughs, "She's all yours."

 _She's all… she's mine…? SHE'S MINE?!_

"Go for it, pal."

 _Go… for…_ Words were not… making sense anymore. _Mine?!_ Iro had somehow managed to subside his laughter.

"In fact, I'm gonna tell you something." Iro said in a whisper. "This is what I think, I think… She's totally into you." _What?_

"What…?"

"Totally serious, bro. You're all she talks about." _Me?_ "Man!" Iro laughed again, "I can't believe you thought me and her… That's hilarious."

"What are we laughing about in here?" Riley returned from the bathroom. Sans was terrified for one instant that Iro would tell her.

"Not laughing, just discussing which is better- science or literature." He said. He turned and winked at Sans, mouthing. " _Just go for it."_ And then he quickly busied himself with making sure all the kids were in line for water and getting ready to head to the cafeteria for lunch.

"Hey, Iro!" Riley turned towards the librarian quickly, "Where are you-"

"Riley!" Sans reached out and instinctively grabbed her hand, "Riley…" She stared at him, her mouth slightly open in an 'o'. "There's… there's something I have to-"

"Dad! We're back!" Frankie. Sans wanted to die. He had been so close- so close…

* * *

When he had touched her, Riley had nearly fainted. _There's something I…_ Something?! What something?! What did he have to tell her?! The moment Frankie had arrived Sans dropped her hand like it was fire, and Riley wanted to die. So, Sans… he had to tell her something, but what? Iro had been acting all weird too, like he knew something she didn't. Well, it had been just the other day when he was talking about his boyfriend that he asked Riley if she liked anyone. He hadn't been able to force it out of her, but he looked at her ever since like he knew. _It's Sans, alright? I really…. Really like Sans._

" _You know what your problem is, Riley?_ " Iro had asked.

" _What?"_

" _You're too scared of rejection. You need to get out there and tell this guy you like him._ "

Iro didn't understand. He didn't know about her scars, all the baggage she carried with her. He didn't know that underneath the scarf, underneath her long sleeves, were terrible scars- things that made her so ugly.

" _You're so, so beautiful._ " Sans had said. Had he meant it? Had he really seen past the scars to the woman she could have been had it not been for that fire? Did he really see beauty in her marred, discolored skin? She didn't think it was possible. No one could love something like her. But, god, how desperately she wanted to tell him. She could just blurt out, _I really like you, Sans!_ But, what would she get in return but ridicule?

"I… well…." Sans frowned, his cheeks tinted blue. "I just wanted to say you look nice today."

"Thanks." She whispered, staring down at her feet. _I look nice? What a joke._ She could never look nice, and she knew Sans was the only one in the whole world who knew that- who truly knew why she could never be beautiful.

* * *

 **REVIEWS FOR CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX:**

 **Ed's. Curious. Kitten:** I'm glad you liked my comment! Finally the mystery of Riley's scarf has been revealed! If I didn't know any better, I'd say that Iro was doing this on purpose... SHE DON'T WANT YOU, DRAGON MAN! QUIT BUTTING IN! HANG IN THERE SANS! AND FRANKIE! YOU'LL BE OKAY, MY CINNAMON ROLLS!

 _No, as you can see, he's not. He had no idea Sans thought he and Riley were a thing!_

 **StarBee24:** Remind me to smack Iro later..

 _Smack Sans instead. Get that skeleman going after his girl!_

 **anthonyabc268:** WOW just WOW of all the things that could of happened it was that I guessed abuse as soon as i read about the scarf so I thoght she would have scars but a fire and there was more scars on her body that was some crazy feels so Frankie is having that dream just like sans in the underground watching his brother did by frisks hands. That God dank iro he is pissing me off ggggrrrrrrrr great job with the story it's 1 of My favorites

 _Awesome! I'm so glad you like it! It's going to be interesting to see how Sans and Riley interact. Riley's lived through trauma and lost people like Sans (minus the resets). I hope this chapter resolved your frustration with Iro. :)_

 **Guest:** OF COUSE IRO HAS TO RUIN THE MOMENT!

 _And now Frankie. Hehe! Fear not, there will be redemption._

 **SilerofWorlds:** *pushes sans and Riley together*  
Now kiss damnit!

 _Ummm... yes please? hehe! Soon._

 **Asriel:** Gg man just don't tell sans im the one who has been trolling him and Frankie on the underweb sansly  
Makes me cri evri tim oh and btw sans Riley . PLZ don't tell tori PLZ (DAY GONNA HAVE SEX)

 _I shall not tell them, fear not. Sansley is adorable, seriously. I'm with you on the whole crying thing._

 _(Also: *cough* it doesn't say that... but it's implied *cough* )_

 **Guest:** I guest as much's review and your response gave me an idea... Is it Iro being in a relationship with Riley that wouldn't work? Maybe HE'S THE ONE CAUSING THE RESETS. Probably not though... You said yourself that you didn't know what was causing the RESETS... Maybe he's too much like her father, and would be abusive?

WAIT. STOP THE PRESSES. Does Iro have a WIFE?! That... Actually makes a lot of sense! Like how he seems to be oblivious that he's in the way of Sansley (*internal screaming*(again? I can't remember if I said this in a past review...))! He wouldn't think that he's in the way of anything, because he has a wife to think of.

Anyway, about this chapter. Burn victim... Wow and I was going off the deep end about her actually being a humanoid monster or something like that... Anyway, SANS, Y U NO CONFESS UNDYING LOVE?! Jk, but I am kinda wondering how he'll deal with all this new pressure of keeping yet another secret, especially one as beautiful as her. I wonder if he'll FRACTURE and tell someone about the RESETS, the constant fear that he has to deal with, about the joys and worries of being a parent to Frankie, the fear that Riley doesn't love him back, the jealousy of Iro (which may be unneeded), the pressure of keeping a mask of calm while deep inside he's probably screaming from all the stress?! Ahem (blushes)... I mean...  
Good chapter? No but seriously, AWESOME CHAPTER!

 _Wow! This review's awesome! You were sooooooo close! So close! Iro's got a boyfriend, not a wife. He's not completely oblivious, he knows it's happening, he just doesn't know he keeps getting in the way. I guess he does now. Ahhhh! Yes, I think Sans will- AT SOME POINT (maybe not for a while)- eventually Fracture- more *because they're all fractured already in their own little ways, I suppose*_

 _Thanks! We are so glad you're enjoying the story._

 **Guest F:** I have a question  
Will there be a reset?  
(At least give me a hint!)

 _I have proclaimed myself the voice of reason for this fanfic. My cousin loves tragedy- I mean who doesn't? Tragedy is all well and good, and there will definitely be much pain and sorrow in this story, but I could never- EVER- *EVER!*- permit it to end like that. (I don't think my cousin could either, after we've put so much work into the relationships and fallen so in love with the OCs) so, I suppose the answer to your question, as much as it pains me to spoil it for you, is ABSOLUTELY NOT. No, we could not do that to our babies._

 **sonicxjones:** Don't worry I'm sure all these puns are just a BAD DREAM.

 _gosh, I hope so. lol! :D_

 **Anonymous:** Wowza :0 The thing with Riley was brilliant, it really adds to the death of her character anD SANS STILL LOVES HER AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. Is the voice in San's head the same force that is giving Frankie nightmares? :000

 _Well... It's kind of hard to explain without giving it all away. I think pretty soon here I'm going to have to address Frankie's nightmares and what's causing them. Some things should become clear with that._

 **coolPastagal:** Great Job so far! You're very talented (and whoever else is helping out) at writing! *and Papyrus' self portrait is definitely something!*

 _Aww thanks so much! It's me and my cousin working on it together! We're so glad you like it! *yes it most certainly is, I love it*_

 **Anon:** Aaarrrgh! Sansley was so close! If only Iro knew how he kept accidentally interfering.  
Frankie's nightmare's are really showing how much he loves Sans, and Sans is seeing that, which is great! I only the same kind of thing could somehow bring Sans and Riley into realisation... :)

 _Oh boy. Stop giving me terrible nightmarish ideas. No, If I recall correctly something much more pleasant brings Sans and Riley together. Hmmm... though, perhaps, a nightmare with Riley is overdue?_

 **I guest as much:** Oh man, awesome update! That whole scene was just great! For one thing, I love how you write Grillby, and it was great how you approached the whole scarf deal. Speaking of which, that tease on Riley spilling the beans was just cruel. I mean, not to me of course, but all those OTHER people who totally cry and stuff when that kind of stuff happens, I bet you scarred them for life. Also, I find it awesome that Frankie still doesn't know about Sans' awesome powers, and it will be hilarious if/when he finds out.

 _Awesome! So glad you liked it. Grillby was 100% my cousin, (she does about 99% of Sans' scenes). Don't be ashamed to say it. I know you cried. hehe. ;)_

 _Yes, I think we just keep forgetting Frankie doesn't know about Sans' powers. We're going to have to integrate that somehow._

 **Someguy:** Escuse me for my vulgur language, but how the f**k do people keep interrupting sans and Riley? That's like the third time! The ship may be sailing, but the wind had better kick it up a notch if you know what I mean. Well...keep up the great work!

 _Fourth now, methinks. Trust me, now that Sans knows that Iro's not in the way it's definitely kicking up a notch._

 **RosePines123:** My name is Ally. What a coincidence. Also Sansley is best

 _Cool! Ally's an awesome name! Heck yeah it is! Sansley is 100% amazing! :D (sorry, I just really, really ship it)_

 **Weird Individual:** AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA  
SANS JUST KISS HER ALREADY!11!1

 _I feel you. I feel you. JUST. DO. IT. DON'T LET YOUR DREAMS BE DREAMS!_

 **Thank you all so much for such amazing and encouraging reviews! :D Look forward to seeing you all on the next chapter!**

 **-MH_C**


	28. Chapter 28: Yellow Coat

**Aughhhh! We're sorry we're behind! I hope we don't have to worry about it for the next chapter as we're working on it right now. We've been trying to figure out how to order some scenes that we have ideas for and it's a bit confusing, but we're working on it! :)**

 **Thanks for your patience, and we hope you enjoy this chapter! :)**

 **-MH_C**

* * *

"What do you mean, 'dinner'?" Riley frowned. "We have spaghetti night every week."

"I thought it w-would be fun to go out t-tomorrow n-night to a n-nice restaurant, just us adults." Alphys sighed.

"So… Me, you, Undyne, Toriel, Sans, Asgore, and Papyrus?"

"Yeah."

"I guess." Riley shrugged, though she knew Alphys couldn't see her over the phone. "Sounds good to me. Where are we going?"

"That really f-fancy French r-restaurant on sixth."

"Woah. Why there?!" Riley gasped.

"Umm… 'cause we're c-celebrating Undyne and m-my wedding. It's… an after party. S-sort of. To thank all of y-you for helping s-so much… I g-guess." Undyne shouted something in the background. "Sorry. I mean, it really is for y-you guys. It's part of our th-thank you gift."

"Alright. Well, it sounds fun." Riley smiled.

"M-make sure to d-dress nice. The r-restaurant has a d-dress code." Alphys said.

"Alright. I guess so."

"I'll s-see you there at s-seven! Just ask f-for the table r-reserved under 'SR'."

"What does SR stand for?" Riley frowned.

"Uhhh… special reception." Alphys muttered quickly. "Anyways! Gotta go!"

"Wait, but! Alphys-" The call went dead. _Damn._ Riley set her phone down with a sigh and returned to her coffee. Well, it would be interesting to see what Alphys and Undyne had in plan for them all.

* * *

"Aaaannddd…. Voila! Your arm is free!" Dr. Brookes grinned.

"Yes!" Frankie smiled, looking up Sans excitedly.

"Now, Frank. You haven't bent your arm in… a long time. So, it's gonna be sore at first. Alright?" Dr. Brookes said.

"O-okay…" Frankie was nervous.

"It's alright, kiddo. Why don't ya go ahead and try it?" Sans said. Frankie looked up at his dad's encouraging smile and nodded slowly. He takes a deep breath and slowly bent his arm a bit.

"Ow!" He gasped.

"It's alright, Frankie. It's gonna hurt a little bit." Dr. Brookes nodded.

"It hurts a lot!" Frankie cried.

"It'll feel much better soon, kid." Sans said. "I promise. Right, doc?"

"Yes. You just need to move it around for a while and it'll feel as good as new!" Dr. Brookes said with a smile.

"O-okay! I'll try."

"Alright! You're doing great, Frankie." Sans nodded. Frankie moved his arm again, slowly. It was very sore, but he was getting used to it a little bit.

"I think it's getting better."

"Great! Looking at the bone it seems that it's healed perfectly." Dr. Brookes said. "So, you're free to go!"

"Thanks so much, Doc." Sans said.

"Just doing my job." The doctor said.

After they were done at the clinic, Sans took Frankie to go buy some new clothes. He had only bought a few outfits with Toriel, and that was a while ago. He needed more than what he had.

"Alright. We're gonna get some t-shirts right, and some shorts for summer?" Sans frowned.

"Yup!"

"And…? Pajamas?"

"Yup!" Frankie nodded.

"And…? What else?"

"Jeans."

"Jeans." Sans sighed. "Alright. Anything else?"

"Mmm…. ooh! Look at that!" Frankie pointed to the window of one of the shops they were passing. It had bright lights, and vibrant colors. A toy store. "Can I get that car, Sans? Please?! It's so cool!"

"Well…."

"Pleasseee?!"

"Well… maybe. Let's see how much we spend at the clothes store, okay?" Sans chuckled.

"Alright…" Frankie sighed. The clothes store was just a few minutes from the toys. They were there pretty fast and Frankie happily began looking through the clothes. He found a pretty good pair of shorts, and a couple awesome t-shirts. It was just as he was heading to the jean aisle that something caught his eye in the aisle with all the jackets.

He had to rush over to it and pull it out, just to be sure that he wasn't seeing things. It was Sans' coat. Sans' coat! But yellow- his favorite color!

"Oh my god."

"What'd you find there, Frank?" Sans said from behind him.

"SANS! LOOK! It's your coat, but it's my favorite color!"

"Oh my god… wow." Sans actually laughed. "Kid, that's amazing."

"Can I get it?! It's a little big, but…" Frankie pulled the coat on and grinned up at Sans.

"Looks good to me!" Sans grinned.

"I look just like you, Dad! It's so awesome!" Frankie cried. "I love this coat! Can I please get it dad?! Pleassseeee!?"

"I don't see any reason why not." Sans chuckled.

"Yes! Now I can be just like you! When I grow up, I want to be just like you, Dad! You're so awesome!" Frankie hugged Sans tightly, giggling. "This is the bestest coat in the whole wide world! I can't wait to show Frisk!"

* * *

There was a knock at the door. Sans was sitting on the couch, watching TV.

"Hold on." He says, pausing the TV. The knock came again, this time louder.

"Hold on!" He repeats a little louder as he walks over to the door, which bursts open with immense force just as he reaches for the handle. It's quite literally knocked off the hinges, and Sans has to teleport a few feet away in order to dodge it,

"What the hell-" Undyne rushes in, a wild look in her yellow eye,

"LISTEN UP, PUNK! I KNOW YOU LIKE RILEY AND YOU'RE GONNA TELL HER YOU LIKE HER!" The aggressive fish woman shouts, her yellow teeth bared in a huge grin. Sans' face immediately turns blue.

"I don't like-"

"YES YOU DO, SHUT UP!" Undyne crows, punching Sans in the shoulder.

"Ow- No. I don't…" _Yes I do…_

"Yes you do! I see the way you look at her!" Undyne screeches, Sans sighs. _It wouldn't hurt to tell her… it's not like we're going to get together anyways..._

"Promise you won't tell her anything…?" Undyne grins widely, and nods vigorously.

"Promise!"

"Alright… I… I like her. I like Riley. A lot. And-"

"I KNEW IT! FUHUHUH!" The fish monster's laugh echoes through the house, Sans winces.

"Don't tell anyone, alright?" He's suddenly worried that Undyne won't be able to keep her mouth shut.

"You HAVE to tell her!" She grins, Sans' eyes widen.

"What?! No- I… No way." Undyne narrows her eye.

"Why not?! You have to JUST DO IT!" _Great, is Alphys showing her memes?_ Sans sighs,

"Look, I'm not the right guy for her. She can do a lot better than me…. I'd just be setting her back." Undyne frowns,

"I think you two would be ADORABLE together!" The fish woman beams, "And I'M NOT TAKING NO FOR AN ANSWER, PUNK!" She grabs the back of Sans' hood, pulling him towards the table with force. She sits him down and takes a seat across from him.

"PRETEND I'M RILEY AND ASK ME OUT, NERD!" She slams her fist on the table.

"No way that's-"

"DO IT!" she screams.

"Alright, alright. Fine. Fine." _If it'll make her stop yelling…_ Undyne clears her throat, and mimics Riley's quiet voice as best as she can,

"Hi, Sans!" _Okay. Nope._

"I can't do this- this is stupid." Sans rests his skull in his hands, shaking his head. _You're right. You can't do this, Sans. You can't get attached to some human. She's not worth the pain after the reset._ The voice speaks, coaxing him to take a different path.

"Yes you can, PUNK! Stop being a loser! YOU HAVE TO GO OUT THERE AND TELL HER HOW YOU FEEL! YOU CAN'T FEAR ANYTHING! FUHUHUH!" Undyne coaxes him back. He was torn. He really needs to tell Riley… he's almost done it a couple times now, but as soon as he's about to say something, he's interrupted. It's gotten quite annoying now. _Screw it. I should say something, shouldn't I…? If I feel this way, I shouldn't be quiet about it. I should tell her. I'm going to tell her. I'm… no…. No…. I can't tell her. I'll set her back. I'm not the right guy for her…._ Sans frowns,

"I can't… I can't tell her…" Undyne picks up on the serious tone of his voice, her grin drops. He gets up,

"I appreciate you trying to help, Undyne…. But I really _can't._ " Undyne, surprisingly nods quietly.

"Alright… Fine. But… You'll come to the dinner me an' Alphys set up for everyone, right? Everyone's gonna be there! It's at that fancy French place downtown!"

"When?"

"Tomorrow! Fuhuhuh! It's gonna be fun!" Sans shrugs,

"Sure, don't see why not."

"AWESOME! Dress nicely! And reservation's under 'SR'!"

"Uh…. alright."

* * *

 **REVIEWS FOR CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN:**

 **Ed's. Curious. Kitten:** Well, after laughing hysterically for longer than I should have, I've made it my mission to get Sans' butt in gear! HELP ME OUT FRANKIE AND FRISK!

 _Hehe! I think most everyone's trying to help- especially undyne! After all, there's money at stake!_

 **GaleForceSinger:**

So.

Iro's gay

Can't say I saw that coming.

Well played.

 _Yes! Thanks! :D_

 **StarBee24:** *smacks Sans on the back of skull and glares at him*

 _WAKE UP SANS! GO TO YOUR HUMAN!_

 **Reader99:** Well that was embarrassing

 _Yessss... poor sans! :( It'll get better soon._

 **Guest F:** Thank you very much for answering my question! Now I don't have to keep wondering if there will ever be a reset (sorry, I'm just used to reading tragedy fanfics... Not usually into romantic comedy, but you story caught my attention, AND I LOVE IT!)  
Also, I really want to break the fourth wall right now, jump into your fanfic, sprint to Riley's apartment, and shout JUST DO IT! FOLLOW YOUR DREAMS, RILEY! YOU CAN ACHEIVE ANYTHING IF YOU JUST BELEIVE IN YOURSELF!

 _Awww! So glad you like it! :D_

 _JUST... DO IT! *SCREAMS*_

 **Anonymous:** HA I KNEW SOMETHING WAS DIFFERENT ABOUT IRO HE'S FREAKIN GAY THAT'S PERFECT! I am very much looking forward to the next chapter! Will Sans finally confess? He had better…

 _Soon, guys, soon! So soon. Augh! I can't wait to post that chapter. It's super fun, you're all going to die because so much cute._

 **Guest:** I LOVE THIS SOOOO MUCH! While reading this chapter, all I was thinking was "KISS KISS KISS!" But it never came. Thanks for being awesome!

 _Heheh! Thanks! We're so glad you like it! As for "Kiss!" Soon. Very soon._

 **Someguy:** Ooohhh...is Iro the dragon royal guard? Like, 01 and 02? That makes sense. And yay! Iro's not in the way!

 _That's so clever! We didn't actually even think of it that way. Iro was an OC, but a few of you guys were saying something like this and it's a valid hypothesis._

 **Guest:** I hope you have insurance. I broke my wall reading this.

 _Oh boy. Sorry. :0 hehe_

 **SilerofWorlds:** I'm glad you didn't make Iro into this huge focal point of drama and evilness. It just being a misunderstanding is much more realistic than what a lot of fanfiction tends to go for. Kudos, and, as always, keep up the amazing story.

 _Awesssommee! Thanks so much!_

 **SecretKeeper626:** Iro is #02, isn't he?

 _Definitely seems to be a popular train of thought. Makes sense too. Kudos to you all for thinking of it._

 **I guest as much:** Great update! This whole frickin' update was beautiful. Sans was doing science things with Frankie and Iro was explaining the situation to him. I just love how peacefully the whole thing worked out, and it's actually kind of Iro-nic, with the person causing Sans the most problems also being the one to relieve him of the most worries. By the way, I just wanted to say that I've read all those comment reviews, and they are really entertaining. I've just wanted to say that for a little while.

 _Yes! Iro is no longer in the way. The only thing preventing Sans from telling Riley is... himself. So there's that! Anyways- I LOVE reviews. I love all of them. They always cheer me up they're soooo great!_

 **I am Not Here:** I only just realized iro is a dragon monster and not human...the entire time I thought he was human.

 _Oh! That's funny. Oh well. :)_

 **SlowlyFallingApart:** OMG Soooooooo beautiful! Sansely for life!

Aw... man, I thought I lost my feels long ago...  
oh wait... WaIT...  
THEY'RE STILL THERE!

 _Heck yeah! Sansley forever! :D_

 **Asreil dreemurr:** Aka (asreil ) ️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️ DEAR Iro, fuck you and your small panties. I am️ ️glad you want to fuck someone else fack you to glad️ ️yo died. ️ ️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️️ No but seriously great chapter I wonder if undyne will realy win the bet. SHE BETTER OR ELSE UR GONNA HAVE A BID TIM. Sorry I haven't been active lately of course I have had a long week of school and I just got undertale ( even though i al ready loved it ) DIS CHAPTER IS ON FIRERRRRRRRRR DAMN I HAVE A SMALL FUCKING LIFE WITH NO PRODUCTIVITY DAMN WAKE ME UP ( wake me up in side )CANT WAKE UP ( wake me up in side ) SAVE MEEEEEEEEE. damn I spend to much time on the undernet. I don't have a life do I . That right there is the beauty of sansly everyone BUY NOW FO 69696969.69 DAMN THEY GETIN IN DAT BED ( PLZ SHOW THIS TO YOUR COUSIN I THINK THIS IS FUNNY oh damn that was in all caps...?...annoying dog...toby... Shit) seriously this was a great chapter btw this review took me half an hour to write MAKES SANS DAMN EVEN FRISK HATED IT ... Fuck?

 _Oh my... Wow. Well, I always show all reviews to my cousin- and this one was pretty entertaining to read. Don't worry. You're not alone, I don't have much of a life either. It's been consumed by undertale and... maybe a couple other fandoms. Anyways! Thanks for the review._

 **Thank you all so much- hopefully when we see each other on the next chapter- it's gonna be a longer one. :D**

 **-MH_C**


	29. Chapter 29: SR

With Sans out of the house (Papyrus had insisted that he had to get ready a bit longer and that no one should wait up for him), Frankie decided to invite his friends over to play. Frisk, Ella, and Wren were all more than happy to come over. Frankie showed all his friends to his room where they got out his monopoly board and played a game.

"I can't believe you have your own room, Frankie. I have to share with my little sister." Ella sighed.

"I don't have a little sister or brother." Frankie shrugged. The thought of Sans having another kid made Frankie laugh, though the idea of having a little brother or sister was exciting. He had always wanted to be a big brother.

"I don't have any siblings either." Wren said.

 _I had a brother._ Frisk signed.

"You did?!" Frankie gasped.

 _Yeah. He… well… it's a long story._ Frisk shrugged.

"We should go play outside! You have a nice yard, Frankie!" Ella said.

"Sure!" Frankie nodded.

 _Let's go!_ Frisk grinned, leaping to their feet. They rushed out the door and Ella followed. Frankie frowned, seeing Wren didn't move to get up.

"What's wrong?" He asked.

"I promised my Daddy I'd get my homework done." She sighed.

"Well, I can help you." Frankie offered. "That way, if we work on it together, we can get it done faster."

"Really?" Wren smiled. "You don't have to."

"I'd like to." Frankie replied. "What do you have?"

"Just math."

"Oh, math isn't so hard. Here. Let's work on it together." Frankie said.

"Oh you're so nice, Frankie." Wren sighed. "I'm so glad you're my friend."

* * *

Sans arrives at the restaurant before everyone else, it had seemed. He takes a seat at the table and awaits the others. It was 7:05… _shouldn't everyone else be here by now…?_ He stands to check the door, confused. He was at the right restaurant, he was sure of it, and the reservation under 'SR' was correct…

He huffs. _Maybe it was just Undyne playing a prank or something… but why would she go through the trouble of setting up a reservation…?_ Sans was confused, and then he sees her. Riley walks in the door, and says something to the hostess, who leads her over to him. His cheekbones burn blue. _Undyne set this up… She's going to have a bad time…_

Riley looks confused for a second, then she realizes what's going on as well and freezes.

"Uh… Heya." Sans says with a frown as Riley awkwardly takes the seat across from him.

"Hi…" She frowns. There's a moment of silence between them before he speaks up,

"So uh… heh. Uh. Did Undyne set this up…?" He chuckles weakly,

"I think A-Alphys had a part in it too…" She smiles under her scarf. He nods,

"So I uh… I… Guess this is… a date, then?" He says, awkwardly tapping a rhythm on the table, his face blue.

"I… g-guess so…?" She laughs. _God, I love her laugh… I should just tell her. I should tell her…_

"So uh… Riley….?"

"Y-yeah?"

"Hello and welcome to Le Château!" Sans looks up in horror to see a waitress interrupting. _Dammit! Dammit!_ He lets out a sigh, so does Riley. _This is getting ridiculous..._

"Would you like some wine to get the evening started?" The waitress grins.

"God, yes." Riley replies before Sans can even take a breath.

"For our special today we have a Pinot Noir-"

"That's great. We'll have a bottle of that." She says, almost hastily.

The waitress hurries away with a nod, setting down some menus for them. There's an awkward silence. _Come on, Sans… Say something._

"What does a skeleton order at a restaurant?" _Wow. Amazing, Sans. A joke. Really clever._ Riley shrugs,

"I-I dunno, what?"

"Spare ribs…" He chuckles weakly. _That's not even a good one! nnnnnngh…._

She laughs a little,

"You're pretty _humerus_ , you know that, bonehead?" Sans' cheekbones turn a darker blue. _She just made a pun… holy hell._

"H-heh. I try, _tibia_ honest." She laughed,

Sans grinned, "Er… wanna hear a joke?"

"Yes!"

"Heh… okay… umm. Why couldn't the skeleton ask out the girl he liked." Sans' cheekbones turned a bright blue.

Riley blinked, staring at him for a long moment. "Umm… I dunno. Why couldn't he?"

"Because he didn't have the _guts_!" Sans laughed, but it sounded forced. She laughed a little.

"Umm… did you… I mean…"

"Did I… umm… did I what?" He frowned.

"NOTHING. I mean…" Her cheeks were burning. "It was a good joke…"

"Y-yeah…" He laughed nervously. "A good joke."

"It… It was a joke… right?"

There was a long pause. "Yeah…! Of- of course it was! It… it was a joke. Pfft." He laughed.

"O-oh…" She mumbled. Sans groaned inwardly and looked down at his hands.

* * *

When Riley had seen the table and Sans standing over it in confusion she had just about died. _They set us up. They. Set. Us. Up._ And god, it couldn't have gotten much more awkward. ' _SR'-_ Sans and Riley. _I'm gonna kill them._

Never had anything been as awkward as their dinner was. He tried to tell some jokes, she tried to laugh (they were pretty good- most of them). But they couldn't figure out what to talk about. They finished their food quickly- all while she tried desperately to avoid eye contact.

"So… uh… heh…" Sans frowned. "Anyways."

"Yeah…" God she wanted to tell him so badly. So badly. But… there was still something holding her back. _You're worthless, useless! It's your fault Ally's dead!_ Her father's biting words ached within her. _No wonder no one ever loved you._ _ **Ally loved me!**_ _You killed Ally! You killed the only person who will_ _ **ever**_ _love you._

Sans could never love her. That was a fact- sure he hadn't run away when she had shown him her scars. But that meant nothing. It was certainly an odd occurrence how he looked at her like she was actually a person. When others found out about her scars all they could do was stare at her like she was a... a freak. Sans… for some reason he wasn't like everyone else. It almost scared her. It had been so long… so long since she'd met anyone like him and his friends.

 _So, why do you hesitate, Riley? Why do you hesitate to tell him that you have feelings for him?_

"Sir, would you like your bill?"

"Yes!" Sans gasped. "Thank you." He quickly handed the waiter his card and breathed a sigh of relief. "Heh…So… this was…."

"Awkward." Riley gasped. Sans chuckled.

"Well… I guess I'll see you at spaghetti Dinner night?"

"Y-yeah!" She nodded quickly.

"H-hey… you just live a couple blocks down, right? Did you walk here?" Sans frowned.

"Y-yeah… it's not too far…"

"I could take you home."

"Are you sure? It's not-"

"'Course. It's no problem."

* * *

 **REVIEWS FOR CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT:**

 **Ed's. Curious. Kitten:** SR, huh? Seems legit! Hang in there Sans! Or maybe Romney should confess? It would really boost Sans' self worth and confidence, I think! I'm up for whatever you decide! Stay awesome!

 _'Romney' hehe. Autocorrect! *shakes fist* I think they both need a boost of self worth and confidence. So yeah, either one. You'll have to wait and see._

 **Mr. Indigo:** I was just reading some of the reviews to your story and I couldn't happen to start thinking about Alphys setting up a kiss cam in her and Undyne's house that activates whenever Sans and Riley are together...

 _That's beautiful._

 **sonicxjones:** Hey Sans, does fear got your COAT?

 ** _coat_** _ally._

 **StarBee24:** uh oh...SR totally stands for Sans and Riley...THEY TOTALLY SET THEM UP ON A DATE! sneaky sneaky friends :3 **and** I wish I had friends like that...

 _Yeah... I think I would just be mortified. Which is exactly what they are. :D_

 **HourglassMadness:**  
Oh my gosh.  
OH MY GOSH!  
Is this what I think it is?!  
THEYRE GETTING SET UP! OMG I SAW THIS COMING CHAPTERS AGO BUT IM SO EXCITEE! This is going to be EPIC!  
Wait.  
Nooooo.  
NOOOOOOO.  
RED X ISNT GOING TO CRASH IT ARE THEY?! I'm so scared now. Or maybe Frankie tags along because Sans doesnt know not to bring him or he tags along to see the date, but Red X kidnaps him?!  
I AM SERIOUSLY TERRIFIED RIGHT NOW.

 _Well... it wasn't that bad, but it was really awkward. Fear not- it shall be amazing soon!_

 **Ringmaster118:** Oh my god XD I see what they're planning. *Slow clap* way to set them up, Alphys and Undyne.

 _Yeah, didn't work too well though..._

 **anthonyabc268:** Huh short chapter but I have a prediction SR stands for sans and Riley oh and the jackit was a pretty sweet

 _You predicted correctly! :D_

 **AceLegends:** Lmao...after what Undyne did, I'm surprised Sans, being as intelligent as he is, didn't pick up on what 'SR' stands for. Loving this story so far.

 _Sometimes people who are in love are oblivious to the feelings being mutual. (and even more oblivious that their friends know). :)_

 **meladi1:**  
Awe, kiss kiss fall in love~ already damn it!

You know, if Sans is so worried about resets he should confront Frisk about it, damn it. It might be a touchy subject but it's driving the poor skeleton crazy

 _Maybe Sans has done that already... maybe he has reason to believe that it's not Frisk at all._

 **BlackHeart303:** Is it a bad thing that I hope Sans goes Gaster-Blaster-Master on Red X? Also, THIS SHIP IS ADORABLE! Also, when is Frisk going to tell sans that there will be no reset (unless they die of course).  
 _No, that's not a bad thing! Yesss Sansley forever! And... see above... shhh secrets._

 **Anon:** *The thought of Frankie and Sans having matching jackets in their favourite colours fills you with DETERMINATION.  
The jacket idea rocks! Also, I look forward to the Sansley confession... :)

 _Awww yes. It's soo cute. :)_

 _And Sansley shall be realized soon!_

 **SilerofWorlds:** Oh thank god. I needed a new chapter like a man in a desert needs water. All of my normal authors stopped updating for a week, leaving me with nothing to read!

 _I'm sorry it was so late! We hope to stay on our regular schedule now! ;)_

 **Thank you all so much for the reviews! See ya next time!  
**

 **-MH_C**


	30. Chapter 30: Something to tell You

**Here is chapter Thirty! This chapter was originally supposed to be part of chapter twenty-nine, but unfortunately we ran out of time. Last week was crazy. So here's a little something I like to call "SR Part Two".**

* * *

Sans holds the door open for Riley as they exit the restaurant, it was dark out already, despite the city lights, you could see a few stars. Sans glances up at them. He'd been meaning to use his telescope for a while now.

"They're pretty, huh?" Riley smiles, as she looks up her scarf falls down drawing Sans' attention away from the sky.

"Uh… yeah. Heh. they are." _not as pretty as you…_ He smiles.

"I like the stars" She says as they walk down the dimly lit sidewalk.

"Me too" _I like you too._

"I uh… used to look at the stars. A lot, as a kid" She sighs, Sans wishes he could relate. All he had were the shining stones in Waterfall to look up at.

"Back underground, there was uh… this place. Called Waterfall. There were glowing rocks on the roof of the cave that looked a little like stars." He smiles, so does she.

"Wow… that sounds beautiful."

"I could… take you sometime… if you want…?" His cheekbones burn, _Did I really just say that._

"That sounds great! I'd love to!" She grins. Sans feels a lot more relaxed now, this conversation putting his mind at ease. She's about to step out into the street, Sans grabs her hand as a car passes.

"Watch out-" He cuts off as he realizes he was holding her hand. She stares down at their interlocked hands, her eyes wide.

"There was a uh…. Car…"

"Th-Thanks!" She exclaims, "u-uh… you can… k-keep holding… my hand. There m-might be another car…" Sans' cheekbones turn a dark blue.

"G-Good idea." He smiles. They cross the street together, hand in hand. They reach Riley's apartment building, and Sans walks her up the stairs, right outside her room. He reluctantly lets go of her hand,

"Well, I uh… I guess I'll see you at work." Sans grins.

"Uh- yeah. I guess so." She smiles, and almost seems… a little disappointed? She digs into her purse for her keys.

* * *

 _Oh...Oh no… Where… where are my keys?!_ She dug deeper into her purse, no this was bad. And Embarrassing! Had she… _I locked my keys… in my apartment. Great job, Riley._

"Is… something wrong?" Sans frowned.

"I… It appears as though," She laughed nervously, "I've locked my keys… in... my apartment." _Stupid._

"Oh." He chuckled. "Well… I can teleport, remember?"

"You could… teleport into my apartment?" She frowned.

"'Course. Ready?" He held out his hand and she took it, her cheeks burning again.

"Yes." The world began to spin, and he pulled her closer to him as she closed her eyes tightly. They were there in seconds, standing on solid ground. The apartment was dark- the only light coming from a lamp on an end table next to her couch. _I should turn on some lights._ But… she couldn't move. She was wrapped in his embrace, and… _RILEY! WHAT ARE YOU DOING! MOVE!_ But all she could manage to do was look up and see that they were face to face, she froze, partly in horror and partly in awe of him. Sans' cheeks were turning a bright blue.

"I...uh… heh…"

 _Say something! Anything! MOVE!_ "H-hi…" She whispered. _THAT'S IT?! HI!?_

He chuckled, "Hi."

 _It can't go on like this._ "I… um… Look, I need… to tell you something…" She sighed.

He nodded quickly. "S-so do I. Need to t-tell you something."

She leaned against him slightly, without even realizing it. "G-go ahead…"

He looked away from her, flustered. "I... I really... Heh. I really like you, Riley... A lot…" _W-what…? All this time and he…_ He liked her. Was this a game? Was this a _dream?!_ She laughed, gripping his jacket tightly and resting her forehead on his shoulder.

"Oh… oh…" Sans inhaled sharply, worried. "Oh Sans… I really like you too. A lot." She looked up at him with a grin. A big grin spread across his face as he looked down at her.

"Heh… oh… wow…"

"So… the joke…?" She frowned.

"Wasn't a joke." He nodded. "Wow… it… feels so good to tell you that."

"Guess you won't have to tell it anymore." She grinned.

"Heh… true." He wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her closer.

"Is it strange… this feels so surreal…" She sighed, resting her forehead on his shoulder again.

"Strange? No, Riley, this is amazing. This is… I like this…"

"I mean… I never thought you liked me…" She said. "But it's so… it feels right. It feels so…" _Stop talking, Riley! Kiss him?! No! You don't kiss him! You only found out he likes you-_ She leaned over and kissed him quickly on his cheekbone. _Okay! Fine._

He froze- letting out a hissing breath.

"Sorry… I just…" She rested her head on his shoulder.

"No!" He shook his head quickly. "Don't be."

She grinned, looking up at him. "You gonna be okay?"

"Y-yeah. M'fine." He chuckled. She felt her cheeks heat up,

"So, uh… about your little joke…? Are you… gonna have enough guts to ask the girl out or…?" _Don't push it! You can hardly breathe as it is!_

He blinked. "Oh… uh… Riley… will you go out with me?" He grinned.

"Yes!" She laughed, pulling him into another hug. He wrapped his arms around her, hugging her tightly.

"Looks like the skeleton's got the guts after all…"

"Do you… do you have to get back to the boys or can you…talk a bit, maybe have some tea?" She smiled. _I can't believe this is happening. Sans...and… me? It's like a dream._

"Oh the boys…" Sans frowned. "They're… they're probably waiting for me."

"Oh." She sighed. "Well, maybe we can schedule another time?"

"How about… after work tomorrow?" Sans asked.

"After work would be perfection." _Perfection?! Riley what is wrong with you?_ "I mean! Perfect. After work would be…" She sighs, dropping her hands to show finality. She wants to hug him again…

"Right after work." He took a step closer. "See you tomorrow then."

"Tomorrow." She crossed her arms. "Okay." He's about to leave, she knew, but she could hardly stand it. She grabbed his hand quickly. "Sans."

"Yeah?" She hugged him quickly.

"See you tomorrow."

"Uh… Riley… do you mind if I…?" He gently pulled off her scarf. _Is he…?!_ Was he leaning in?! He tilted his skull slightly and gently rested his hand against her cheek. She can't breathe now. And then he pressed his teeth to her lips and the world around her disappeared- it was just the feeling of his hand on her waist, his teeth on her lips. She closed her eyes, wrapping her arms around his shoulders, leaning against him. He pulled away moments later, and stared at her- they were inches away.

"W-wow…"

"So… I guess, tomorrow?" He grinned.

"Yeah." She nodded- still dizzy. She can't believe this is actually happening. "T-tomorrow."

"I'll… uh…" His cheeks were a bright blue. _He's so adorable. God, why is he so adorable?! And He's_ _ **my**_ _boyfriend?!_ This was actually happening. It seemed so… surreal. She never imagined she'd ever be with Sans- with anyone for that matter. "I'll… text you in a bit?" He grinned.

"Yeah… that sounds great… maybe tomorrow we could have lunch together? Iro and I have a lot to do earlier in the day so I won't see you much then." She watched as Sans' expression changed to a frown at the mention of Iro's name. _Why doesn't he like Iro?_

"Or… I could stay a bit… to make up for not seeing you much tomorrow?"

"Are you sure the boys would be okay?"

"Yeah. They should be fine. Frankie's a good kid and Papyrus loves looking out for him... or he loves to think he's looking out for him." Sans chuckled.

"I could make some tea!" Riley smiled.

"Tea sounds amaz- _tea_ -ing." He looked almost horrified at how bad that was. She laughed.

"That one was pretty bad."

"Uh...yeah…" He grinned.

"Why don't you… sit…" She gestured to her light blue couch and turns to flick on a light switch, brightening up the room. _Augh! There are books everywhere. What's wrong with you, Riley? Your apartment's a mess!_ "Sorry, about the mess… I… uh… read a lot of books." She said as he took a seat. _Stop talking! Who cares about books right now!_ She hurried into the kitchen to make the tea.

"Cool." Sans said. "What kind of books? I like science fiction."

"R-really?" She grinned, though she knew he couldn't see it from the living room. "I like science fiction too. I mean, I read pretty much all books. What kind of tea would you like? I've got lots."

"Uhh… I'll have whatever." Sans replied.

"I'll make peppermint then." She decided. She pulled the tea out of the cupboard and waited for the pot to boil. Soon the tea was done. She carried the two mugs back into the living room and set them on the coffee table. She sat across from him, trying not to smile too much- but that was hard. _Me and Sans. We're… a thing now? I guess. I never thought…_

"Sorry… you have to…" She gestured to her face. _Stupid burns._ She knew, by the way people reacted when they saw her, they weren't pleasant to look at.

"No!" Sans gasped, "Riley, you're so beautiful. I don't know why you hide it…"

She wasn't sure what to say. _How can he think that of me?_ She shook her head. "How…? Not… not everyone thinks that…"

He took her hand, squeezing it gently, "Riley, if you think for one second that I think differently of you because of your scars, you're wrong. You're so, so beautiful." He smiled.

"Did I… ever tell you I like you? A lot?" She grinned.

"Yeah. That's good 'cause… I like you. A lot." He chuckled.

"So… Iro…" She frowned. "Why don't you like him?"

"Oh…" Sans sighed. "It's stupid now. But before it was because… augh… I thought you… and him…"

"You thought me and Iro were a thing?!" She choked on her tea. "You know Iro has a boyfriend, right?"

"Now I do." Sans groaned.

"Iro's like… my brother… Oh my god." She couldn't stop laughing.

"It's not that funny." Sans said.

"Yeah… yeah it is." She gasped. "Wait…" She paused, taking in a deep breath. "Are you still jealous of him?!"

"Hey! I am _not_ jealous." Sans frowned.

"Yes… you are!" Riley sang.

"Am not." His cheeks turned a bright blue again.

"Aw. You're so cute." She grinned.

"M'not." He frowned.

"Well…" She looks at her phone. _Nine thirty?! God, you have to get up so early!_ She didn't want him to leave, but… they'd see each other tomorrow. "It's late."

"What time is it?" Sans asked.

"Nine thirty."

"What? Wow… uh… I should probably get back home."

"I know." She sighed, standing up.

"Thanks for the tea. It was really good."

"You're welcome to come over anytime and have some." She smiled. He stood to face her.

"I'll have to take you up on that… See ya tomorrow for lunch?"

"Yup." He looked so awkward, but he disappeared and then he was standing next to her, on the other side of the coffee table. He took her hand.

"Goodbye." He said. She didn't respond. She leaned forward and quickly kissed him, holding on to his hand tightly. He stepped away, dropping his hand from her's, his cheeks a bright blue. He smiled, and then vanished.

* * *

After Frankie's friends left Papyrus and Frankie cleaned up the kitchen and then watched half of a movie before Papyrus passed out. Frankie turned off the movie and pulled out one of his library books to read- a book about cats. He liked cats. Meanwhile, Justice, Spaghetti, and Meatballs all piled on top of Papyrus, who was fast asleep on the couch.

When Sans teleported in around nine thirty Frankie looked up excitedly to see what the results of their set up date had been. Sans' whole face was blue, the biggest grin Frankie had ever seen was plastered on his face.

"Hey, dad! How'd your date go?"

"Oh!" Sans' eyes widened. "Pretty good."

"Did you tell her?" Frankie grinned.

"Tell her what?"

"I'm nine, dad, not two. I know things." Frankie frowned. "Did you tell her you like her?!"

"Riley?"

"No, Alphys." Frankie sighed. "Yes, Riley! Did you tell her?"

"Alright, alright. I'll appease you." Sans chuckled. He sat down next to Frankie on the couch, putting his arm around him. "Well, kiddo. I did. I told her."

"Yes! Dad! This is awesome! You asked her out?"

"Yup." Sans grinned.

"What'd she say?" Frankie asked.

"What do you think she said?"

"Did she say yes?! Yes! Did you kiss her?!" Frankie gasped.

"Maybe…" Sans chuckled.

"Oh my gosh! Dad! This is awesome! Arent you happy?!"

"'Course." Sans nodded. Frankie had never seen Sans look so happy, and Sans' cheeks were still a bright blue.

"When are you gonna take her out on a date? Don't worry, Uncle Papyrus and me can take care of everything here."

"Well tomorrow we're having lunch together-" Sans began.

"No. A real date! Like to somewhere nice. Where you're alone."

"Yeah! Like… a restaurant! Or… oh! Riley likes the beach. She told me once when I was looking for books at the library. Or… I don't know. Some place special." Frankie shrugged.

"Soon." Sans nodded. "I'll take her somewhere soon. For now… It's time for you to have a _bed_ time."

"Aww! Dad! Noooo!"

"It's nine thirty, kid. Tomorrow's a school day."

"Finneee!" Frankie sighed.

"Come on." Sans pulled Frankie up off the couch. "Tomorrow I'll buy you ice cream after school."

"Really?!"

"Sure. If you get in bed, kiddo."

"Alright. I'm going!" Frankie laughed. Sans pulled Frankie into bed, and pulled the covers up to his ribs.

"I love you, kid."

"I love you too, Dad! Think about taking Riley out, okay?"

"Alright. I will." Sans chuckled.

* * *

 **REVIEWS FOR CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE:**

 **I am so mad because for some reason the reviews are not showing up on fanfiction. I'm going to try one more time, but if they don't appear I'll have to retrieve them from my email, and I know my email doesn't receive all of them... usually. Augh. It's not working. Okay! So I'll retrieve the reviews from my email. If I didn't answer your review it's because for some reason I didn't get it in my email and this website is being stupid. Anywayssss. Sorry!**

 **Return of the OC:** Return of the OC:Spyro: Hi!  
Chaos: Hi!  
Moonbeam: Hi!  
Wheatley: Hi!  
Asriel: What are we doing here?

I knew something was weird with 'SR'...Sans and Riley.

Sans and Riley's thoughts: I will kill you Alphys and Undyne.

 _Welcome back! Yup. SR for sans and riley. It couldn't be something obvious like 'Sansley' though I'm sure that would have been Alphys and Undyne's first choice._

 **Frisks brother:** (Aka asreil ) hey I heard frisk had a brother OMFG IVE POSTED BEFORE ARE YOU GOING TO MAKE THE QUESTIONS CANNON. :-) WHEN YOU DIDNT SPARE MY BRITHER SO GET DUNKED ON. I KNOW YOU MADE MY FRIENDS ALL DISAPER . THEIR TH ONLY REASON WHY IM HERE IM AM THEIR MERCY IAM THER VENGEANCE IM AM DETERMINATION...- stronger than you (sans song(aka best song(seriously(why so many parentheses(fuuuuuck) what) da faq) )) um ...o k

 _If everything we write becomes canon that's amazing. Because there's going to be... a few... non-canon things in our fic... heheh..._

 **sonicxjones:** Sans WINE not admit your feeling?

 _Well, he finally did it. :D_

 **anthonyabc268:** Well that awkward alphys and undyne are dead

 _Probably would have been except that now it's turned out so well._

 **Anon:** When those two finally get over their insecurities... it will be amazing.  
I can't wait until the next chapter! :)

 _When I read your comment for the first time I laughed because when you wrote it you had no idea how well those two sentences go together. Because, behold! They've gotten over their insecurities- some of them._

 **Guest: (for chapter twenty eight)** So I have a head-canon...  
What if Iro is the reptilian like monster in the snowdin library?  
Could explain why he works in the library? Maybe?

 _Maybe. We never really thought about Iro as someone specific. But that makes sense._

 **HourglassMadness:** God DAMN IT SANS! AAAAGAGHHHHAH! JUST *TELL* HER! YOURE MAKING THIS PAINFUL FOR EVERYONE INVOLVED. I know we've already had this several times before, but JUST DO IT! DON'T LET YOUR DREAMS BE DREAMS!  
JUST DO IT!

 _I hope this chapter appeased you. ;)_

 **iamdaraptor:** Dude. I'm one of the most mentally mature people in my grade. And when I saw this ship it legit made me scream and squeal like an idiot. Yes. You have earned my respect. Sansley FTW. 凸ಠ益ಠ)凸

 _Yes! Embrace it! :D Because of that, this chapter should please you as well. Hehe!_

 **Anonymous:** I just don't know what to say but… I love this story so much! It's great... finals are approaching and I'm super stressed out, so thanks for lifting my spirits 3 (lol sorry for my constant repetition)

 _Don't be sorry. It's always awesome to hear we're doing a good job. And it's certainly very encouraging. It gets us writing! I'm so glad this helped lift your spirits. I hope this chapter did so even more. It's one of my favorites._

 **CitrisDragon:** NOOOOOOO! Why must you make me suffer?!

 _Did this help? Hehe!_

 **Ed's. Curious. Kitten:** You tease! I really thought we were going to make some headway this chapter... T_T I'll keep reading, but I feel like I just got the bait and switch. (I'm not saying they should've confessed right away, but SOME progress would have been nice. Instead it was just a huge bundle of awkward. I'm really disappointed.)  
I'm not trying to be mean, but I was really hoping for some new material, instead of just the same old nervous conversations dressed up like new content because of the change in location.

 _I'm sorry! I know it was a pretty lame excuse for a chapter, and I felt bad that it didn't get anywhere. But, as you can see from the above, It *was* originally supposed to be connected with this. Unfortunately we just ran out of time. I hope this chapter makes you feel better about it all. :)_

 **Bonestorm of Thornclan:** haha undyne just represented every fan of this story! sansxriley JUST DO IT!

 _Yup! And it actually worked- shockingly. They're gonna have to come up with a way to get back at Undyne and Alphys._

 **sceera1:** Just as FLUFFY as ever! Thumbs up to the awkward silence. When i saw the notification for this chapter, i thought about how far this story has come since i first followed it, and i followed it when there were only three chapters. Sans is happy, frankie is happy, the bully and red X got DUNKED ON, sans is going to have a girlfriend, Alphys and undyne made it official and dr greg house is working for the CIA. Sorry, i'm watching House md as i'm writing this review. Anyway, i think this story is amazing and you're an awesome writer. I'm curious as to how many chapters it's gonna be before we get that last straw from red X against sans before he flips out and kills them all. Good luck with your romance and inevitable fight scenes.

 _It has come a long way, my goodness. And it's only going to go a lot farther, I think. We've just come up with a climax. It's beautiful and amazing and you're all going to just... wowwww. Anyways. Secrets!_

 _I remember that episode! I *LOVE* House. Oh my gosh. Heheh..._

 **Mr. Indigo:** I feel really bad for Riley. She has a very low self of steam and doesn't think very highly of herself. I also think she has suffered from PTSD due to the fire and the death of her younger sister, which attributes to her feeling worthless, believing that she could have saved her. That's at least my analysis of Riley so far. To be honest though, I really want to see a picture of Riley in a wedding dress, because I'm curious, will she be wearing the scarf in her wedding dress or not.

 _Yes. Yes. Yes and Yes. 100% yes. Riley's character is going to be interesting. I think we'll find out more about her as Sans is dating her and other things happen. You'll all have to see. As for the wedding dress, what's super ironic about that is I happen to have drawn her with a wedding dress on. Not sure when I'm going to post that. Probably not too soon..._

 **meladi1:** That's one akward date. God damn it Alphys and Undyne. Hold your shipping to the anime world.  
And I feel like an idiot for not figuring out SR was Sans and Riley xD

 _Heheh... definitely awkward. But I think after they left the restaurant it got 10,000x better._

 **Ahhh. Okay. Those are all I had in my email. I wish this website would work. If you reviewed and I didn't get it I'll be so sad... :(**

 **Anyways, thanks to everyone who reviewed (even if I didn't get it down here I'm sure I'll see it later!)**

 **See you on the next chapter!**

 **-MH_C**


	31. Chapter 31: Post Traumatic Stress

**Sorry this chapter's a bit late! I was on vacation with no wifi so... urg. Anyways!**

 **Here's chapter thirty-one! Also: Go check out our tumblr blog for some awesome Sansley art that we have... an exorbitant amount of. More to be posted soon. :)**

 **-MH_C**

* * *

Frankie woke up way too early. The sun was just rising, he could see it through the curtains in Sans' room. The older skeleton was still fast asleep. Frankie yawned and stroked Justice, who was sleeping in between him and his dad.

"Purr, purr…" He grinned. The cat was very pleased, so naturally Frankie had to scoop her up and hug her tightly. "So fluffy!" He whispered. The cat meowed, struggling to escape. Sans stirred. Frankie let go of Justice, who rushed out of the room, and grabbed Sans' arm.

"Dad?" He whispered.

"Hmm?" Sans moaned.

"Can we have ice cream for breakfast?"

"No." Sans mumbled.

"Why not?!"

"Ice cream's dessert." Sans frowned, his eyes still closed. "What time is it?"

"I dunno." Frankie shrugged and looked over to the clock. "Five." Sans choked.

"What?!"

"Five o'clock in the morning." Frankie nodded.

"O god. Why are we awake at five?" Sans rolled over. Frankie sighed, deciding his dad was right. They should try and get a little more sleep. He rolled over as well, hugging Sir Barkley tightly. After a few moments of silence he rolled over again and shook Sans.

"Dad? I can't sleep."

"You didn't even try, Frank…" Sans sighed.

"I did!"

"Try harder." Sans moaned. Frankie huffed and closed his eyes tightly, trying to let his mind quiet.

"Dad?"

"What?"

"Can we go get ice cream after school today?"

"We did that the other day."

"Yeah, but it was fun right? Can we do it again?" Silence was his only answer. "Dad?" _Nothing. No… no…_ "DAD!?" He grabbed Sans' shoulders and shook the older skeleton quickly.

"Huh...what?!" Sans blinked, "Sorry… what were we talking about?"

"N-nothing...nothing…" Frankie breathed. _I can't lose my dad… not again…._ And even the most illogical things reminded him that he _could._

* * *

"Heya" Sans grins as he approaches Riley, who was putting away books on the shelves of the library.

"Hey, bonehead!" She grins, turning towards him.

"You ready t' head out? I know a place downtown."

"Sure!" She seems a lot more composed than usual, more comfortable. Normally, both of them would be blushing and stammering like total idiots, but they were together now. No more awkward stammering and the inability to breathe.

Sans holds out his hand to Riley, and she takes it. Seconds later, they were outside Grillby's. The familiar restaurant had moved from the underground to the surface a few months ago, but it sparked a lot of controversies, since it was the first monster-run establishment on the surface. Grillby had to constantly scrub off the graffiti that anti-monster jerks painted on. Sans hadn't been to the new Grillby's yet. It reminded him a bit too much of home.

 _Hey, not that it matters, right Sans? You're gonna be back underground pretty soon._ _ **Shut up.**_ He ignores the voice and leads Riley into the warm building. He's immediately greeted by the familiar greetings that he was so used to Underground,

"Hi, Sans!"

"Heya, Sans!"

"Hey! Long time, no see, Sans!"

"Hiya Sansy!"

As soon as the patrons of Grillby's catch sight of Riley, the restaurant is silent. Until one monster bursts out,

"Who's the dame, Sans?!" Everyone cheers, Sans chuckles,

"Relax, fellas. This is Riley." He introduces her with a grin.

"H-Hi…" She says quietly, "N-Nice to meet you all!" Sans leads her over to the bar stools, which were in the same orientation as they were underground. Sans sits in his usual spot, offering Riley the seat next to him. She sits.

"Heh… sorry about the guys. They're a little… Rowdy." He chuckles, she laughs.

"You're pretty popular, huh?"

"Eh, i guess so." He shrugs. Grillby leans against the bar, where Sans and Riley sit. Grillby introduces himself to Riley, which sounds like crackling fire. Riley looks over at Sans with a confused look, Sans translates,

"He says: Hello, My name's Grillby." Riley turns back to Grillby with a covered smile,

"My name's Riley! Nice to meet you!" Grillby offers Riley a flaming hand, who looks down on it with wide eyes. Sans chuckles,

"Won't burn. It's magic fire." Riley takes it, shaking gently. The flames around Grillby's mouth curl into a smile, and he withdraws his hand. Grillby asks if they want anything, Sans translates,

"Do ya want anything? There's burgers or fries."

"Some fries sound good" Riley grins. Sans grins,

"Alright, so two orders of fries, and my usual, Grillbz." The fire elemental nods and walks off to the back room. Everyone in Grillby's is staring at them, Sans turns around, flashing a glare at them,

"Hey, give me an' my girl some space, alright?" Everyone's gaze turns away.

" _Your_ girl?" Riley pretends to look offended, but there's laughter in her voice. Sans' cheekbones turn blue,

"That's right," He grins, "My girl." _Tsk. Tsk. Tsk. Sans, will you ever learn? She won't be "your girl" for long._ _ **Shut up.**_ _You can't continue to ignore me, Sans. You know this is wrong. You know you shouldn't be with her. The more you get attached, the more this is going to hurt. You're so selfish._ _ **Go away!**_

Sans' smile fades slightly, he clenches his fists. Riley frowns,

"Sans are you alright?"

 _Do you like pain or something, Sans? Do you like it when you fall in love with someone just so she can get ripped away from you? So you can never see her again? What will it take… what will it take to make you realize I'm just trying to help you, Sans? I'm here to tell you- d o n ' d._

"Shut up!" He says aloud, Riley looks taken aback,

"Sans, w-what's wrong?" Her voice brings him back to reality, he looks over at her,

"I uh… s-sorry." He looks down at his hands. _**Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!**_

"Sans…? Are you okay?" He looks up at Riley, she looks concerned. He slaps on a fake smile, like he's so used to doing.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just a little tired."

* * *

"Guess what!" Frankie gasped, when he saw Sans waiting for him outside his classroom.

"What's that?" Sans grinned. Frankie was practically dancing, he was so excited.

"I've got my first report card!" Frankie held up the yellow envelope for Sans to see. "It says you have to open it. I can't. Open it, Dad! Open it!"

"Alright, alright." Sans chuckled. "Lets get home first. Hey… I guess…. I guess it's about time I showed you this little trick. Take my hand. I know a little short cut."

"Okay…?" Frankie frowned, but took Sans' hand. There was a dizzy sensation, and the school vanished and they were standing in their living room. "WHAT?!" He gasped, looking up at Sans in awe. "YOU CAN TELEPORT?!" Sans grinned.

"Sure can."

"THAT'S. SO. COOL!" Frankie screamed. "Why didn't you show me that before?! That's so awesome!"

"SANS! FRANKIE?! ARE YOU HOME ALREADY?!" Papyrus shouted from the kitchen. "I'M NOT DONE WITH MY WELCOME HOME SPAGHETTI!"

"That's okay, Paps. I guess Frankie has his first report card and I have to open it." Sans sat down on the sofa and Frankie watched him, eagerly awaiting to see his expression. He wanted to watch his dad's face. Did he do good? Sans pulled out the sheet of paper and began to read, a bright smile on his face. _I'm doing good! I'm doing good in school. Sans is proud. He's smiling._ As he read lower on the page he paused on a section, and frowned, his smile vanished.

"W-what?! What is it?!" Frankie gasped.

"You're not doing good in history." Sans looked up at him with a frown.

"Oh. I don't like history."

"Why not?"

"Because it's boring."

"That's not a very good excuse for this." Sans frowned. He looked down at the paper again and read aloud, "'Frankie doesn't put any effort into learning much about history. He doesn't care about paying attention during history lessons, and has even been disruptive during these lessons.' Disruptive? Frankie, is this true?"

"Uh…" Frankie bowed his head with a sigh, looking down at his hands. "Yeah..."

"Frankie..." Sans sighed. "You can't do that, kid."

"I know." Tears threatened to fall, he avoided eye contact.

"Hey…. Frankie. Don't get me wrong, I'm proud of you. You're doing so good in your other subjects. But… I know you can do better on history. Do you want some help with your homework and stuff?"

"You could help me with history? I just want to make it more interesting." Frankie frowned. "It's so boring. It's all about what people did and how things happened and who cares?"

"Hey, it's important to know where things came from and how certain things came to be." Sans grinned. "I don't know how much help I'll be, since you're studying monster and _human_ history. I don't know hardly anything about human history… but… maybe someone else could help you."

"Like who?" Frankie frowned.

"Well… I know. Maybe Riley could help you. She likes books and history. How would you like it if Riley helped you?"

"You think she would?" Frankie gasped.

"I'm sure! I bet she'd be glad to help out." Sans nodded. "I'll call her tonight. How about you do your other homework for now. The rest of this is really great, Frankie. I'm really proud of how hard you work on this stuff."

"Really?" Frankie smiled.

"Yup." Sans grinned, hugging Frankie gently. "Really."

* * *

 **REVIEWS FOR CHAPTER THIRTY:**

 **Cocoa the Wolf:** The review stuff is happening to me too, except I don't even get emailed about it. Anyway... YES SANSLEY WOOOOO FINALLY YASSSSS

 _I think they fixed it. It's working for me again. Yas! Sansley! 3_

 **DezyBear:** OH MY GOSH IT ISN'T JUST ME! I can't read my reviews on my fiction either! And i didn't even think of looking at my email *hit's my head* stupid, stupid, stupid... and regarding this chapter-FINALLY!3

 _Yeah, I emailed them about it. But they probably already knew. Anyways. It's fixed now. Thank you, fanfiction! :D And definitely-that kiss was overdue._

 **Ed's. Curious. Kitten:** Please put a note or something in if the chapter has another part! I was so miffed because I thought you were leading us on. I should have known better. After all, you haven't disappointed with the rest of the fic! I'm glad you kept going! Sorry for being a jerk. Stay awesome!

 _Sorrry! It was more like... we couldn't finish it in time and so we decided to split it at a cliffhanger. So... yeah. But it's all better now. You weren't a jerk. You got me motivated to finish our outline so that we can keep moving in a straight line and that is 100% awesome._

 **CitrisDragon:** FINALLY! I was grinning like an idiot and completely flipping out through the whole chapter!

 _Yes! Sansley is just mmmyes please!_

 **anthonyabc268:** I am happy how that turned out who knew Frankie was 9 I thought he was 2 all along guess he's a big boy now. (voiced laced with sarcasm at the last part)

 _Yup! Glad you liked it! Heyyy! He's just a kid. Kid's say that all the time! ;)_

 **trvlsize23:** YEEESSS! Thank you!

 _You are most certainly welcome! :D_

 **Guest:** YES! That was so cute! 3

 _Awesome! More to come! :)_

 **Doce:** *Breathes in deeply* IT'S ABOUT TIME

 _True. It was overdue. Don't worry, the wait was worth it._

 **I guest as much:** Great update! That was just a great way to get them together! Also, I'm really glad Sans got up the determination to do it, because that took spine. I can't wait to see what happens next chapter!

 _I don't think Riley could have ever really done it, because she thinks so little of herself. But! It's done at last! And it's turned out alright, I think. :)_

 **Asreil:** OMFG OMFG OMFG OMFG OMFG OMFG OMFG OMFG OMFG OMFG OMFG OMFG OMFG OMFG OMFG OMFG OMFG OMFG WHY THE ACTUAL HELL DID I COPY AND PASTE DIS oh I'm sorry  
UNDERTALE BE LIKE  
Napstiblook:im happy yay...  
Mtt: IM FABULOUS  
Papyrus:NEYA HEYA HEYA oh and um... Royal gaurd or sum ting  
Sans:why even live  
(Me btw I will try to be at geno-con I will be sans if you go :) )  
Undyne: SUCK MY LONG HARD SPAGHETTI  
alphys: um,...(omg undyne is so hot)  
Rg #01: um like yah I like bunnies  
Last but not least  
Asreil:hoi im tem... Wait one minute...tem?  
Actual asreil:howdy im flowey ...  
DA ACTUAL FAQ  
Asreil: FAQ YOU IMPOSTER "FLOWEY" IS ACTUALLY ASREIL YOU DUMB JERK. LOOK AT THE TRUE PASIFIST ROUGHT YA DINGUS... ITS KINDA SNOWEY.  
No but seriously this is chapter is chapter #1

 _I took the liberty to cut short all your OMFGs for this section. ;)_

 _Yup! Everyone's pretty happy right now... for now... heheh *evil grin*_

 **sonicxjones:** Well I CARn't wait for the next chapter.

 _Oh boy. Hehe. :)_

 **Clarissa Fazbear:** You know when Sans argues to the voice in his head? Well, with the way the voice kept talking about resets and stuff, I always think that it's Chara that is talking to him, and not just his subconscious. I mean, it kinda sounds about right to me. I dunno. It's just a theory.

 _I love hearing everyone's theories! They're always so great! This one is definitely interesting. You'll just have to wait and see. ;)_

 **Mr. Indigo:** And so the OTP of Riley and Sans begins. Also, I think I mentioned it before, but I also ship Fren (Frankie and Wren), my feelings for the pair only growing with these last few chapters!

 _Yup. that is 100% true. Sansley is my OTP right now, probably always. Fren! That's cute. My cousin and I are calling it "Frankwren" ...cause... puns. But Fren's cute too. :)_

 **nadiahardar:** Oh my god I don't think you understand the gravity of the situation! (;- ; )

I have NEVER, EVER shipped ANYTHING in my LIFE!  
But Sansley had me from the BEGINNING.

I look like a moron because ONcE aGaIN I'm in my classroom looking like a god damn tomato, and my friend Is looking at me snickering and on the verge of laughing. She was like "What the fuck are you reading?Oh my god you're BLUSHING!? Let me see!"  
And I'm whispering to her like "NO! Uh, I mean... ITS NONE OF YER BUSINESS!"

"ok now I need to know."  
"NO STOP PLEASE!"

Can't wait for the next chapter! ( and ultimately more embarrassing moments with friends. )

 _Yessss give in to the power of Sansley! :D_

 _I know that feel though. When you see something awesome and everyone's staring at you because you can't stop smiling._

 **Guest:** WO-to the god damn-HOO.  
THEY DID IT EVERYBODY.

 _Yes they did. And it's only gonna get better. :)_

 **iamdaraptor:** Alright. Frankfurter's hardcore shipping his dad and Riley. Memelord and Scarf Mom are dating. Spear Mom and Nerd Mom are gonna get dunked on pretty soon. Torigore may or may not be a thing. I'm sure nothing can go wrong. *casually awaits the arrival of Red X while squealing something that sounds like "finally you tsunderes"* \\_(ツ)_/

 _I am sorry but all your nicknames are A+. I died I was crying and laughing so hard. They're so beautiful. I can't._

 _Memelord+Scarfmom for life._

 **OIDHFOIAFHAIHFOF:** WIAOSF\H;AFIHVBKJVBKAIWHOIEFHWEFHJZHDKFLFEHLIAEFHUAIKZSHKJSDFKF  
FINALLYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY  
SANSLEY IS REAL

 _SANSLEY IS ALWAYS REAL! :DDDDD_

 **Anon:** That there was so satisfying. It's just like... FINALLY! I'm completely psyched up for Sansley and I can't wait for Alphys and Undyne's reaction. Technically Sans confessed first, so Undyne won the bet, but will Sans and Riley tell them that? Looking forward to the next chapter as always. :)

 _Ah yes. Undyne and Alphys' reaction. Hehe. Soon- but I think Sansley needs to get back at Alphyne for setting them up._

 **SilerofWorlds:** Finally! Its about da!n time Sans! Honestly, he is a skeleton. He shouldnt have these problems with nervousness, because nothing gets under his skin. Great chapter, as always.

 _Niceeee... Poor Sans. He's just falling more and more, he's gotta fix some things before he can really focus his attention of Ri. And unfortunately, he doesn't really understand those things yet..._

 **allie:** 8l 00 make the next one!  
/3\\\\\

 _Here you go! :D_

 **RosePines123:** you did it Sans. you have now revealed the true otp. someone needs to draw fan art about this

 _Ask and thou shalt receive! Check out our blog: fractured-tale. tumblr. com (disregard the spaces)_

 **THANK YOU ALL FOR THE REVIEWS! :) See you on the next chapter!**


	32. Chapter 32: I can't lose You

**Voila! And on time! :)**

 **Hope you all enjoy!**

* * *

Over the past two days Riley came over after school to help Frankie with his history homework and Frankie was already improving. Riley made history fun. She described scenarios like stories, she made them exciting and Frankie loved her.

"I'm all done. I answered all the questions!" Frankie gasped. Riley looked away from Sans and took the paper from him.

"Aw! Frankie, these answers are awesome! Good job!" Frankie grinned.

"Thanks."

"You're gonna be great at this in no time."

"It's your stories, Riley. They're really fun." Frankie shrugged.

"Thanks, Frankie, I'm glad you like them."

"You're all done with your homework, kiddo?" Sans grinned.

"Yeah." Frankie nodded.

"Alright. Well, what if we did something fun now?" Sans frowned.

"We could play monopolop!" Frankie gasped.

"Hehe… haven't you gotten tired of that game yet, kiddo?"

"Never!" Frankie grinned. He dashed off quickly to find the game, leaving Sans and Riley alone, which he was sure they were perfectly fine with. He found the game in the closet in his 'room'- not that he ever slept in his room. He always slept in Sans' bed, because if he didn't he had horrible nightmares. He didn't want to think about it. He happily grabbed the game and hurried back into the dining room. Riley and Sans were sitting next to each other, holding hands, and basically staring at one another- which was one of their new things. Staring deeply into each other's eyes. Frankie thought it sounded rather boring. He set the game down happily on the table and began to set it up.

"Which pieces do you two wanna be?" Frankie grinned.

"I'll be… the thimble?" Riley smiled. "If no one else wants to be it."

"I'll be the boot. The boot's my good luck charm. I always win." Sans grinned.

"Whatever, dad." Frankie groaned.

"Is that a challenge?" Riley raised an eyebrow. Frankie handed them both their pieces.

"Damn straight." Sans chuckled.

"You only win because you always cheat." Riley scoffed. Frankie laughed.

"Pfft. Excuses. Watch, as I destroy you." Sans grinned.

"Okay! We roll to see who goes first!" Frankie said, holding out the die.

"You go ahead, kiddo." Sans grinned. Frankie rolled the die and frowned.

"Three…" He sighed. "Your turn, Riley." Riley rolled the die and gave Sans a smug grin.

"Five. Beat that, bonehead." She handed him the die.

"No problem." Sans rolled. "W h a t." He looked down at his roll in horror and Frankie laughed at his expression. Sans had rolled a one.

"Lucky boot, huh?" Riley grinned, leaning over to kiss him on the cheekbone quickly. "Don't worry, Sans. The game's just started. Maybe the lucky boot hasn't… started yet."

"Whatever." Sans glared. "Lets get this game started." He handed Riley the die. She rolled and Frankie laughed when he saw the six.

"Would you look at that." Riley leaned towards Sans tauntingly as she moved her piece.

"Go ahead, Frankie." Sans frowned. The game continued. Frankie bought a few properties, but Sans and Riley didn't. Frankie knew Sans' strategy was to buy Boardwalk- the most expensive property on the game and cover it in hotels and get a ton of money just from that little monopoly. But why Riley wasn't buying properties, Frankie didn't know. Riley was way ahead of both Sans and Frankie, but Frankie noticed it was like Sans and Riley were racing.

"Six! Eat it, Riley!" Sans grinned. Riley pretended to look offended.

"Okay… It's still early on, _sweetheart_." She teased.

"Sweetheart?" Sans grinned. "We doing nicknames now? Alright, babe. Two can play this game." Frankie watched as Riley's cheeks turned a bright red. This was actually rather entertaining. Frankie took his turn and then passes the dice to Sans.

"Four. Beat that, _honey."_ He winked at Riley. Frankie grinned.

"If you say so, _darling_." She rolled the dice- six. "I think the lucky boot… is turning into the lucky thimble." _Ahhh… they're both trying to get to boardwalk first. Oh well… this is pretty funny._ Frankie grinned.

Sans scoffed. "You wish, _pumpkin_. That was lucky, sure, but I'm goin u." He rolled the die, and voila! Frankie laughed out loud, seeing the two.

"Wait! Shh! What's that?" Riley gasped, leaning towards Sans. "Do you hear that? I think...shhh… I think that's uh… your shoe crying." She sits up straight quickly, and grabs the die. "Oh would you look at that! A four! A chance card? For me?! Awww! _Babe_ , look! 150 dollars! All for me!" She held the card up for Sans to see and then grabbed her money.

The game continued, and for a few minutes it was pretty close, and then Riley rolled the three.

"DO YOU SEE THAT?!" She grinned at Sans, grabbing her thimble, "WATCH THIS!" She moved her piece onto Boardwalk. Sans stared in shock.

"N-no."

Riley slowly pulled out her money. "Are you okay? Is this… a problem?" She grabbed the deed in slow motion, all while Frankie laughed hysterically. "I got Boardwalk! I got Boardwalk!" she sang.

"I… how dare you." Sans choked.

"What was that?" She placed the deed next to her money and then patted his hand. "It's gonna be okay, Sans." He let out a hissing breath, staring at the game board.

"The lucky boot has failed me."

"It's just a game." Frankie sighed.

"Well… I think Riley has us beat." Sans chuckled.

"I guess so."

"I challenge you to a rematch, _darling_. Someday." Sans grinned, and then he pressed a kiss to Riley's cheek.

"You're on. And me an' my lucky thimble are totally gonna destroy you." Riley laughed. Frankie grinned. He loved seeing his dad so happy, and wow. Riley made him so happy.

"Nah. I'm gonna destroy you both. I'll have the most money, the most monopolies. It's gonna be amazing."

"Is that so?" Sans chuckled.

"Yup." Frankie nodded.

Riley took Sans' hand in her own, grinning. "I bet he will…. I bet he will."

* * *

As Papyrus dished out the spaghetti, Sans took a seat next to Riley at the table. Alphys and Undyne were staring directly at them, whispering things to each other. _We're together already… I guess they don't know yet._ That makes Sans laugh internally. That is just perfect. Riley looked a little nervous so Sans gently took her hand under the table. She smiled up at him and Alphys and Undyne noticed the look. They both whispered even more furiously. They knew something was up, though maybe they weren't a hundred percent sure what it was.

"This looks to be an amazing batch of spaghetti, Papyrus." Toriel smiled.

"WHY THANK YOU, LADY ASGORE!" The tall skeleton beams. Sans chuckles,

"It's Toriel, Paps. Remember?"

"OH! RIGHT! THANK YOU, TORIEL!"

"S-so… umm…" Alphys looked pretty nervous- more than usual. "Undyne and I… h-have an announcement to m-make." She smiled.

"Can you pass the parmesan?" Riley whispered to Sans. As he did their hands brushed and they froze for a moment longer than they should have. Undyne definitely noticed. The aggressive fish woman slams a fist on the table,

"THAT DOES IT! WILL YOU TWO JUST- _KISS_ ALREADY?!" Sans looks over at Undyne, and then over to Riley. He shrugs, _Sure, why not?_ And then he leans in, pressing a kiss to Riley's scarf, where her lips should be. Undyne's yellow eye widens, surprised. Everyone's jaws drop. Riley was tense at first, but then loosened up, pressing a hand to his cheek bone, and wrapping her other arm around his shoulder. Frankie cheered.

"SANS! NO KISSING AT THE TABLE! THAT IS COMPLETELY UNSANITARY!" Papyrus looks greatly offended.

"FINALLY!" Undyne manages to choke out, her lips curled into a smile, exposing her off-white fangs. Riley pulled away, looking up at Sans with bright green eyes full of happiness.

"W-what?!" Alphys choked. "Are you t-two…?! D-did you two…?! Undyne! Sansley is real!"

"They're boyfriend and girlfriend now!" Frankie said proudly. Sans chuckles,

"Yup." Asgore laughs deeply,

"Congratulations, you two."

"Th-thank you!" Riley grinned.

"B-but wait… who… who f-finally confessed?" Alphys gasped.

"That would be Sans." Riley nodded.

"Wh-what?! Riley!" Alphys cried.

"HAH! YES! IN YOUR ADORABLE FACE, ALPHYS!" Undyne screams, banging her fist against the table, causing nearly every drink to slosh out of its container. Sans chuckles,

"Err, anyways, Alphys. You said Undyne and you have somethin' to say?"

"Oh… uhh…. Yeah… umm… y-yeah… heheh…." Alphys straightened her shirt nervously. "Umm… w-well… Undyne and I h-have been thinking… about… well… t-talking about…"

"WE WANNA ADOPT A KID!" Undyne shouts, grinning wildly. Sans chokes on his drink.

"Wow! Really?" Riley gasped. Frankie looked over at Sans, confused.

"Y-yeah… th-that! We w-want to… adopt…! W-we've been talking about it f-for a l-little while… wh-what do you all th-think?"

"That's amazing!" Riley cried.

"I think it sounds like a lovely idea." Toriel smiled.

"Yeah. wow. Congratulations, you two." Sans grins, he wasn't expecting that at all.

"Ah! How wonderful!" Asgore exclaims with a smile. Frisk was signing frantically next to Frankie, and the poor kid was trying to translate what they were seeing- but Frisk was moving way too fast.

"Uhh… I don't know… I don't know what you're saying… slow down." The young human was obviously very excited about the prospect of Alphys and Undyne adopting.

"Uhh… they say they can't wait to meet Alphys and Undyne's kid, when they finally do adopt." Sans frowned.

"I'm confused." Frankie said. "You'll be adopting a kid like me?"

"Y-yeah!" Alphys nodded. "Well, w-we're hoping to find someone a little y-younger than you. The toddler y-years are so adorable."

"Wow! I can't wait to meet them either!" Frankie gasped. "This is exciting."

Sans chuckled. "Well, congrats again."

"Yeah!" Riley grinned. "Good luck on the whole process, I'm sure you'll find the perfect match soon!"

* * *

"G'nite, kiddo." Sans whispers over to Frankie, who was already fast asleep, totally worn out from playing with Frisk after dinner. The older skeleton settles in under the covers next to his son, closing his eyes. It takes him just a few minutes to drift off to sleep…

 _Sans sits up, the room was cold, an eerie silence hung in the air. He looks over to where Frankie should be, but the little skeleton was nowhere to be seen. Sans gets out of bed in a hurry,_

" _Frankie?!" A noise sounds from the living room, Sans runs downstairs, his skull pounding with fear. In the middle of the living room stood Papyrus, Frankie and… Riley? What was she doing here?_

 _Sans glances out the window to where everyone was looking. Dark figures stood there, banging on the window with force, yelling and screaming, trying to get in. As Sans focuses on them, he sees the Red X emblazoned on their dark bodies._ _ **No! No! Stay away from them!**_

 _Sans tries to run in between Red X and his friends, but his feet are seemingly glued to the spot in which he stood._

" _Frankie! Papyrus! Riley! Get outta there!" They don't seem to hear him, instead, huddle together as Red X breaks through the glass barrier that divides them._

" _No! Leave them alone!"_ _ **I have to protect them! I have to!**_ _Sans struggles to move once more, and freezes when he sees what appears to be the leader draw a pistol, pointing it directly at Riley. She's terrified, her green eyes wide. She tries to make a run for it, but two figures grab her arms, holding her there. Riley struggles as the muzzle of the gun is pressed roughly, forcefully against her forehead._

" _RILEY!" Sans' vision is blurred, unable to comprehend what was going on, fear taking hold of him._

" _PAPYRUS! FRANKIE!" The two skeletons were being held too, though no gun was pointed at them._ _ **They're next… That's why… As soon as Riley's gone… They're next…**_ _Sans feels numb, and then the first shot fires, and all he can do is scream as Riley falls to the floor, lifeless, limp. The next shot fires. Papyrus falls into dust. And finally, one last shot echoes through the house. And there's nothing Sans can do about it._

Sans wakes up with a gasp, beads of sweat had formed on top of his skull. _Frankie! Papyrus! Riley!_ His left eye flashes brightly, illuminating the dark room in yellow and blue light. He looks frantically around a moment, before his eyes find Frankie, and he lets out a breath of relief. _Papyrus…_ He carefully gets out of bed so as not to awaken his son, heading down the hall to where Papyrus slept peacefully. Relief floods his soul and then he freezes. _Riley…_ He fumbles for his phone. _I just need to hear her voice. Just to be sure._

* * *

Something loud woke Riley, and it wasn't her alarm. _Wha…? Phone…? Mmm…._ She leaned over and flicked on her light, her clock read… "3AM?! WHAT?! Who the _hell_ is calling at…? Sans…?" She tapped the answer button quickly.

"Sans?" There was a long silence before a response.

"Thank god." He sounded funny- scared, maybe?

"Thank god…? Sans, it's three in the morning… what's going on?" Another long silence. "Sans? Are you there?"

"Y-yeah… yeah…I'm..."

"What's wrong? Are you alright?" She frowned, worried.

"N-no. No!" _Is he…?_ He was crying, she could hear it in his voice, there was a tremble in it.

"Sans…. Shhh…. It's alright...what happened?"

"I… it's s-stupid." He muttered. "Everything's f-fine."

"It doesn't sound that way to me." She said, sitting up and leaning against her pillow. He didn't sound like he was okay. He sounded terrified, shaken. Something bad had happened.

"I… I… I had a nightmare." He murmured. "I just w-wanted… I just wanted to make sure you w-were alright…"

"I'm fine… your… your nightmare had to do with me?"

"I c-can't lose you, Ri… I can't…. And they… th-they, Oh god, Riley… they took you away from me."

"Sans… shhh… it was just a dream."

"But what if it… what if it comes true?!" Sans cried.

"Shhh…. Do you want to talk about it?"

"What if they _kill you?!_ " He sobbed. "I can't…. I can't lose you, Riley…!"

"Sans. It's alright… it's just a dream…." He was sobbing uncontrollably now, "Would it help… would it help if you came to see me or I came there?"

"I c-can…. I c-can come?" Sans whispered.

"Yeah, Sans, of course-" Before she could even finish Sans burst through her bedroom door. He looked terrified, tears streaming down his cheekbones.

"Ri- Riley!" He fell to his knees at the edge of her bed, pulling her into his arms, sobbing. "Ri-Riley!"

"Shh…" She hugged him gently, rubbing her hand in circles on his shoulder blade. "I'm alright. It was just a dream."

"It was…. It w-was so real…" He whispered, holding onto to her tightly. She pulled herself out of bed so she was kneeling in front of him, and she gently pressed her hand to his cheekbone.

"It's not. See? I'm fine."

"What if… What if I can't protect you? What if they find you? What if they…"

"Who?" She frowned.

"Re-red X." He choked. "In my dream… they…."

"No… no, Sans. Nothing's going to happen. I'm safe. I'm safe!" She hugged him gently. "Red X can't do anything to me. Okay?"

"They-"

"No, Sans. Nothing's going to happen. I know you will keep Frankie and Papyrus safe. And I'm a human. Red X wouldn't dare touch me." She smiled.

"N-no, Riley… No… they've already…."

"Sans… It's not going to happen." She shook her head, and then kissed the top of his skull.

"Riley!" He choked. "Riley, I… I can't lose you, ever."

"You're not going to, I promise. Shhh… Come here." She pulled him to his feet and led him to her bed, they laid down together, and she wrapped him tightly in her arms. "It was just a dream… just a dream…"

* * *

 **REVIEWS FOR CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE:**

 **rosejojo:** *COUGHCOUGHSANSLEYISREALCOUGHCOUGHCOUGH*  
I fangirled so much oh my gosh  
SPAGHETTI AND MEATBALLS  
Sincerely  
-Wierd ass RoseJojo

 _Fangirl, away my friend. My cousin and I just... ahhh Sansley is perfection. A totally accident- beautiful- perfection._

 **Mr. Indigo:** Poor Sans, he is slowly tearing himself apart inside. I'm willing to bet that if he doesn't get some closure on the whole "reset" thing soon, he's going to have a mental breakdown and pretty much traumatize everyone, especially Feankie, who will think that his dad may be dieing.

 _Closure on the reset thing. Interesting wording. Especially considering how goddam AUish the resets are in this fic. Guess you all will have to see. It seems to me this fic is going to be pretty long._

 **Ed's. Curious. Kitten:** I still feel bad about it.  
Anyway, awesome chapter! I can understand where Frankie is coming from. I still hate studying history (I was oddly good at it for whatever reason, though). Hang in there Frankie! I believe I you!

 _I looooveeee history. But given what we think Frankie's career choice might be we figured that was the best subject for him to not like. I dunno... I guess math would work too._

 **meladi1:** You know... I'm really beginning to think that the voice inside Sans' head isn't his own but certain someone.. I could be wrong though, and he really is just talking to himself, but I'm beginning to doubt it xD

Oh man, the Sansley is so cute... And Frank, I understand you, History is boring as fuck, but that's no excuse for being disruptive

 _Tell meeeee! I want to know what you think, because I know exactly what the voice is, and I want to knowwwwwww what you think! D: And history is awesome, how dare you. lol :P_

 **iamdaraptor:** I'm smiling so much it hurts. Like oh my god. Just...*inhales deeply* GOOD SHIT GOOD SHIT THAT'S SOME GOOD SHIT RIGHT THERE! MMMMMWWHOOOOOOO! ⁽⁽٩(๑̶͈̀ ᗨ ̶͈́)۶⁾⁾ **and** I'm smiling so hard it hurts.  
"my girl"  
"MY GIRL"  
OH MY GOD YES. HELL YES

 **and** My face tho (just remove the spaces):

45\. media. tumblr aa5d5aefd415b712163e692118a7881a/ tumblr_o4v831ohR81v48411o1_400. gif

 **and** My face tho (remove the exclamation points parenthesis and spaces)  
45.! media.! tumblr.! com (/aa5d5aefd415b712163e692118a7881a) (/tumblr_o4v831ohR81v48411o1) (_400.! gif)  
The only difference is that I don't cry.

 _Oh my goodness. I guess you really like Sansley. lol! Yeah, when my cousin wrote that "Dame" and "My girl" part I just about died. yes please. A+. such gold. Heheh!_

 **nadiahardar:** Poor Memelord ;(  
The voice is gettin' to him  
I'm just waiting for the emotional breakdown he's gonna have one day. (Probably.)  
Scarfmom is so gonna catch on to him.  
The Bonechild is gonna have more nightmares, and in the end they're gonna come true. The Red X is gonna ruin everything pretty soon I reckon. Spearmom and Nerdmom are gonna get dunked on.

Does that cover everything?  
Oh!  
And Skelechild is gonna get kidnapped, Memelord comes to rescue the day but...  
"ITS A TRAP!"  
So umm yeah.

I think none of these are gonna be correct, but STILL.  
Holy moly macaroni I can't wait for the next chapter!

 _Scarf mom is definitely going to catch on to him. Poor babies. Ah well. Spearmom and Nerdmom are actually literally going to be moms- that's what's gonna happen. hehe._

 _Ehh... I guess you'll have to see what happens next. :)_

 **Anonymous** : EEEP they're so cute! I really liked this chapter! It's also interesting to see Frankie get into some level of trouble, it adds more weight to his relationship with Sans. This voice in Sans's head is most definitely Flowey. Thanks for helping me get through finals :3

 _Yay! I'm glad you liked it. I definitely think it's important to not make things too perfect. Frankie can't be acing all his subjects! And... you'll just have to see about the voice in Sans' head. *secrets secrets* :) You're welcome! :D_

 **Thanks all, so much for the reviews!**

 **BTW! ANON! You didn't review this time, but I wanted to let you know, me and my cousin got your ask on tumblr and my cousin's offered to draw the draw you requested! She gave me a little preview and so far it's adorable! So we'll get that up as soon as it's ready. (and yes, the cats are included too! 3)**

 **If anyone has any art requests, find us on tumblr: fractured-tale. tumblr. com (just get rid of the spaces)**

 **-MH_C**


	33. Chapter 33: Hope you Don't Mind

**Hey, all! If you haven't heard the song "Your Song" by Elton John- google that. It'll help for this chapter and... it's gorgeous!**

 **-MH_C**

* * *

It's was very early when Frankie woke up. The clock read 5:44am. _Is it too early? Like last time?_

"Dad?" There was no response. Maybe Sans was sleeping soundly. Frankie turned over to try and go back to sleep only to be faced with emptiness. Sans was not in the bed. "Dad?!" Frankie sat up quickly, looking around the dark room. No, his dad wasn't there. _There's no need to panic. Dad's gotten up before you before! He's probably in the kitchen drinking coffee._ Frankie jumped out of bed, grabbing Sir Barkley, and skirted around Sans' dirty laundry pile, down the stairs and into the living room. Well, Sans wasn't there.

"Dad?!" There was no response. Frankie hurried into the kitchen and dining room. There was no one there either. Sans was no where in the house. Sans… was gone. Frankie couldn't breathe, he felt like the walls were closing in around him. "DAD?!" _Dad's just… he's gone out to… get something… But it doesn't make sense! Where could he have-_

"FRANKIE?!"

"Uncle Paps!" Frankie spun around and pulled the tall skeleton into a hug. "I don't know where dad is. I woke up and he was gone!"

"SANS IS GONE? DON'T WORRY, FRANKIE! I WILL TAKE CARE OF YOU!" Papyrus cried.

"But where could he have gone?!" Frankie gasped, tears rolling down his cheekbones.

"I...I DON'T KNOW! PERHAPS WE SHOULD CALL HIM!"

"Can I?!" Papyrus handed Frankie his phone and Frankie quickly dialed his dad's number.

"Mmm…. Hello…?"

"DAD?!" Frankie sobbed. "Dad! I woke up and you weren't there…. And….!"

"Frankie! Oh god… I'm...I'm so sorry… I didn't even… I'm at Riley's house. I'm sorry, I'm coming home right now, okay?"

* * *

"What's going on?" Riley had woken when Sans' phone went off. It was too early. _Five….fifty... ? No thanks._

"It's the kiddo. I… I should have thought about it, I just left him. And he… well…" Sans sighed. "I think he has some form of PTSD. No, I _know_ he has some form of PTSD. He can't sleep without me and… he panics when I'm not where I'm supposed to be."

"Oh… Poor kid…" Riley frowned, "I guess you should probably get back to him, huh?"

"Yeah… umm…." Sans sat up with a frown. "Thanks… for being here…"

"Hey. I'm here for you, Sans, always." Riley grinned.

"I'll call ya later." Sans smiled.

"Hey, lover boy." Riley said. "You aren't gonna give me a goodbye kiss?" Sans grinned and leaned over to kiss Riley quickly before teleporting away.

* * *

Later that week Frankie was just starting his final project for school- since it was June and Summer was fast approaching. For his project Frankie was making a long timeline of his family. He started with a drawing of when Sans first found him and went on from there, making sure to write a narration of each event- getting lost, meeting Riley, finding Justice, Justice having kittens, etc. It was actually really fun to draw pictures of important parts of his life and he couldn't wait to show his dad.

It was early June and Frankie was going about his usual day. At lunch time Frankie went to sit with his friends. It was pizza day, so it was a pretty good day. Ella and Frisk were already there, so Frankie sat next to them.

It was already fifteen minutes into lunch when Wren finally arrived. She looked tired, and pretty upset.

"What's wrong?" Frankie gasped. "Wren?" She sat down silently at a different table. Frankie looked over at Frisk and Ella with wide eyes. Frisk frowned and shrugged their shoulders. Ella shook her head,

"What do you think happened?" She asked. Frankie looked down at his food and pushed it aside, standing and making his way over to where Wren was sitting by herself.

"Wren…?"

"I don't want to talk to anyone." Wren murmured.

"Why not?" Frankie frowned.

"I don't… I don't want to… it's too…" She bites her lip, Frankie saw the tears in her eyes and sat next to her.

"What's wrong?" He asked. "What happened?"

"It's terrible!" She gasped. "I won't ever get to see you again!"

"Why not?!" Frankie choked. "What makes you say that?!"

"I know it! My daddy's retiring from the navy, and we're moving back home, all the way to another state!"

"W...what…?" Frankie blinked. _No…_ It wasn't true. Wren? Moving away?

"I don't want to move away!" Wren sobbed. "I'll miss you and Ella and Frisk! I made friends here, I don't have any friends back home! I don't want to move away!"

"W-Wren! It's okay… we… we can call each other and… email each other… and we can still be friends!" Frankie frowned. "Right?"

"I...I guess…. But I'll never get to see any of you again!"

"I… I bet dad and I c-could come visit you and your dad!" Frankie gasped.

"M-m-maybe…" Wren sobbed. "It's really, r-really far away. I just don't want to leave, Frankie, it's not fair!"

"I… I don't want you to leave either…" Frankie whispered. Wren quickly wiped away her tears and looked up at him with a little smile.

"You're my best friend, Frankie." Wren sighed, then she pulled Frankie into a tight hug. "You promise you'll email me?"

"Of course…." Frankie nodded. _I can't believe this is….this is happening?! Wren's moving away… She's moving far away… It's not...it's just not fair!_ He hugged her tighter. _IT'S. JUST. NOT. FAIR._

* * *

The rest of the school day was terrible. With that information weighing on Frankie he couldn't concentrate on anything else. When Sans picked him up at the classroom door Frankie could hardly say hello. Sans instantly noticed something was wrong. Frankie didn't feel like talking about it.

"Let's go home, kiddo." Sans smiled, taking Frankie's hand. Frankie didn't respond. The next moment they were in the living room. He dropped his backpack on the coffee table, and turned to go to his room. "Hold on a sec." Sans frowned. Frankie sighed and turned to look up at his dad. "What's going on? Is another kid bullying you or your friends? I'll give him-"

"No." Frankie shook his head.

"What is it? Frankie, you can tell me anything." Sans said.

"It's…" Frankie looked up at his dad with tears in his eyes. He was afraid of this. He didn't want to cry about it… "It's Wren! Her dad's retiring and they're moving far away! I don't want her to move, Dad! She's my friend…!" Sans' eyes widened.

"Wren's moving away? Aw, kiddo, I'm so sorry…" He knelt down to pull Frankie into a hug.

"It's just not fair!" Frankie sobbed. "IT'S JUST NOT FAIR! She.. she...she doesn't w-want to go! She t-told me she d-doesn't want to. Why...why does she h-have to go, Dad?!"

"Hey… shh… It's… it's okay, Frankie."

"No it's not! It's not… It's not…" He choked, trying to breathe through his tears. "IT'S NOT OKAY."

"Hey. Sometimes things like this happen." Sans sighed. "We have to learn to… overcome them. You can talk to Wren on the phone… and send her emails."

"I want to _see_ Wren!" Frankie gasped.

"Alright. I'm sure we can visit, and she can visit too." Sans smiled. "And it will be fun to make new friends. Won't it?"

"I don't WANT to make new friends. It's Wren, Frisk, and Ella! Those are my friends!"

"Frankie, you can still stay friends with Wren. I promise." Sans said.

"I just don't want her to go, Dad!" Frankie hugged Sans tightly.

"I know…" Sans sighed. "I know…"

* * *

Sans had given a lot of thought about where he wanted to take RIley for their first official date. He remembered Frankie talking about how much she loved the beach and, well. He wasn't about to pass up an opportunity to impress her. After all, she had helped him through that terrible nightmare… He shivered just thinking about it.

She would be over in five minutes, and he was actually a little nervous. What if the date went wrong or something? He wanted this to be special.

"SANS! COME HELP ME PREPARE THE SPAGHETTI!" Papyrus shouts from the kitchen, Sans chuckles,

"Can't. Got a date."

"A DATE?! WITH RILEY!? I'LL HAVE YOU KNOW, BROTHER, I AM THE BEST DATER WHO EVER DATED!"

"That so?"

"OF COURSE! I COULD GIVE YOU SOME ADVICE IF YOU WANT!"

"Uh… that's fine, Paps. I think I got it handled." Papyrus sticks his head out of the kitchen, glancing over at Sans,

"WHERE ARE YOUR SPECIAL DATE CLOTHES?!" Sans was in his regular everyday clothes, his blue jacket, a t-shirt and shorts.

"What's wrong with these?" Sans chuckles, Papyrus shakes his head.

"YOU NEED TO IMPRESS YOUR DATE, SANS! YOU LOOK LAZY!" _...Does it actually matter…? Should I change…? We're just going to the beach…_

"Err… I guess I could change…" Papyrus nods,

"DO THAT, BROTHER! RILEY WILL BE IMPRESSED IF YOU DRESS NICELY!" _Well… I_ _ **do**_ _want to impress her…_ He heads upstairs, finding his nice clothes. Button up shirt, pants, nice shoes. _I'm over-doing it now…_ He rolls up his sleeves, trying to seem a little more casual, unbuttoning the top button of his shirt. _There._

The doorbell rings, Sans starts down the stairs,

"I GOT IT!" Papyrus screams, running to the door, opening it. Sans chuckles, coming down the stairs the rest of the way. Riley steps in a moment later,

"Hey is Sans-" Her eyes widen as she catches sight of Sans, standing at the bottom of the stairs,

"Heya."

"H-Hi…" She was wearing a light gray sweater and black leggings with boots. A pale blue scarf covers her lower face, but despite that, Sans grins,

"You look amazing" Her cheeks turn bright pink.

"Y-You too…" He heads over to her, taking her hand.

"You ready to go?" She nods,

"Wh-Where are we going?"

"You'll see." He smiles and shortcuts over to beach, right onto the pale white sand. She gasps,

"Sans! The beach?! I love the beach!" She smiles underneath her scarf, he smiles back,

"Thought you might." He silently thanks Frankie for mentioning it. The sun was just beginning to set on the horizon, causing the waves to turn a golden orange as they crashed ashore. There were only a few other people on the beach at the time, a man playing a ukelele, a couple wading through the waves… It was quiet.

"Thank you…" She smiles, leaning against him. He chuckles,

"'Course." He leads her to a large piece of driftwood, worn smooth from the waves, and he takes a seat,

"Look I… I really want to thank you… For helping me the other night…" He sighs, almost ashamed that he couldn't handle it himself.

"Of course. I'm here for you, Sans… Just like when you were there for me… When I told you about my scars, you didn't even blink. You just… You listened to me a-and…" She sighs happily, resting her head on his shoulder, "I'm just really glad we're together…"

He grins, wrapping an arm around her,

"I am too." There's a moment of silence in between them, as they just sit there, together, watching the waves and the bright orange sun slowly sink below the horizon.

"It's beautiful…" Riley finally speaks up, her voice soft. _Sans. Don't. That is so cheesy._

"Not as beautiful as you…" He groans internally. _Awful. That was awful._ She doesn't say anything about that, she just shifts a little, pressing closer to him.

"But… you hide yourself, Riley… You're so beautiful, you shouldn't have to…" He slowly removes her scarf, she stares up at him with wide green eyes.

"Sans…" He shakes his head,

"I like seeing your face, Riley… So beautiful…" He smiles, her cheeks turn pink as he slowly leans in, pressing a kiss to her lips. She wraps her arms around him, leaning into the kiss, and pulls away after a moment, looking up at him in awe.

"You know… no one's ever called me beautiful before…" His eyes widen,

"Riley…" She smiles, looking down at her hands.

"You're so wonderful… and…. When I'm with you… I don't feel like how other people make me feel. When I'm with you I _do_ feel beautiful. Thank you…"

"Ri… Never doubt it. You're so, so beautiful." He grins. She leans against him, resting her head on his shoulder. She's silent for a while as they sit watching the sunset. Then she sighs, her smile gone.

"Ri…?" He frowns, glancing over at her, "You alright..?"

"Y-yeah… it's just… I used to come down to the beach after… After Ally..." He nods slowly.

"I'm… sorry. I didn't know… We could leave if you want…?"

"N-no, It's fine… I just… It's fine." She's clearly not fine. _Come on, Sans… Do something… You can fix this…_

"Hold on a second." He stands, walking off. She looks over at him in confusion,

"Sans, what are you… doing?" He walks up to the man who was playing the ukulele,

"Heya. Mind if I borrow that?" Sans points to the small instrument. The man looks really confused, but then shrugs,

"Uh… sure, I guess." He hands Sans the ukulele. The skeleton walks back over to Riley, whose eyes are wide,

"Sans…" Sans begins strumming the instrument, _God, it's been awhile… I hope I can remember how to play this…_ "You can play?" Riley grins.

"A little." He chuckles, starting with those familiar eyes widen like she recognizes them a little. And then, he starts to sing, taking a seat next to her,

"It's a little bit funny… this feeling inside…" His voice is deep, perfectly resonating with the corresponding chords on the ukulele.

"I'm not one of those who can easily hide, I- don't have much money but… Boy if I did… I'd buy a big house where… we both could live." He grins. Riley's whole face is red, and she's grinning.

"If I was a sculptor, but then again, no… or a man who makes potions in a traveling show. Oh, I know it's not much, but. It's the best I can do… My gift is my song… and this one's for _you_." He sets the ukulele aside, getting to his feet, offering her a hand. She takes it, and he pulls her up, placing a hand on her waist.

"And you can tell everybody- this is your song, it may be quite simple, but, now that it's done…"

He guides her along, dancing like he did at the wedding,

"I hope you dont mind… I hope you dont mind… That i put down in words…" He pauses, their eyes locking,

"How wonderful life is… while you're in the world." She grins up at him and sings softly,

"I sat on a roof...and kicked off the moss… well a few of these verses… well they've got me quite cross. But the sun's been quite kind while I wrote this song… it's for people like you that keep it turned on." He grins, her voice is soft and alluring, and Sans wishes she would sing more. He sings the next verse,

"So excuse me forgettin'- but these things I do. You see, I've forgotten if they're green or they're blue." He'll never get used to seeing her smile, that scarf hid so much… He continues,

"Anyway, the thing is, what I really mean… yours are the sweetest eyes, i've ever seen." Her green eyes shine in the slowly dying light of the sunset, and finally, as the song ends, the light fades from the beach. Sans guides Riley back over to their driftwood bench, and they sit.

"That was beautiful, Sans… thank you…" She leans against him with a smile, "You should sing for me more often…" Sans smiles,

"Maybe."

"Aww c'mon, Sans!"

"Alright, alright!" He chuckles, " _Possibly._ "

"How is that any better than 'maybe'?!"

"It's possibly a bit better than maybe, kinda." She laughs, kissing his cheekbone.

"You're such a bonehead."

* * *

It was late when Sans and Riley arrived back at Sans' house. Almost all the lights were out so the boys were probably asleep. Sans hesitated at the doorway.

"I… uh… guess you should get home." He frowned.

"Probably…" She smiled. "Tonight was… amazing. Thank you."

"Maybe we can… do it again sometime." He nodded.

"I'd love you- I MEAN TO. I'D LOVE TO." She was mortified, she felt her cheeks burn. _Did I REALLY just say that?! Oh. My. God._ Sans chuckled. _Oh god. I just made it really awkward!_ She winced.

"So...uhh…" _Fix. I gotta fix it._ She grinned.

"I…. guess….I'll see you tomorrow?" _That's not fixing it, Riley!_

"Hey…" He paused with a frown and then grinned, "Beautiful. You aren't gonna give me a goodbye kiss?" She laughed, and leaned forward, kissing him gently.

"Thanks for everything, Sans."

"I'm here for you." He smiled.

"See you tomorrow."

"No doubt about it." He winked, and she waved a last goodbye before getting into her little car and heading home. It was only a few minutes of silence and then she arrived at her apartment building. She climbed up to the second story, and walked down the hall to where her door was. But just a few feet away she froze. Her door…. Was...ajar? _Oh god...Oh… oh god…._ The handle of her front door had been busted, and the door had been broken through easily. _Sh….shit…_ She stepped towards the door nervously and gently pushed it open with her foot. It made a squeal, like now it was on the hinges wrong. On the floor just inside her door was a huge spray painted red x. _Red… X…. What do they know…? Have they…._ Straight across from her door Red X had ripped her map of the world off the wall and had written in red spray paint across the wall: STRIKE TWO. In the middle of the two words was pinned an envelope.

Riley couldn't breath, her whole body was trembling. _They… they know about me and Sans… Or at least they know I ignored their first warning._ She stepped over the x in her doorway and with a shaking hand she unpinned the envelope from the wall. The pin fell to the floor with what sounded like a clatter. She was dizzy. The room was silent, like everything was holding it's breath. She used her fingernail to rip open the envelope.

 _R-_

 _They don't belong here. When they meddle in the affairs of humans they deserve punishment. Abandon them or they will all DIE._

 _X_

It looked like it was written in blood, she wanted to throw up. They were going to kill her friends for them being _kind_ to her. _They've been the kindest people I've ever encountered. The only people who look at me as a person. What have humans offered me but judgement for the way I look?!_ Sure there were those humans who also treated her well, but she had no friends- no family. And no one tried to get to know her. Besides… did she even deserve friends? _Oh god! I will not go down this path again! I have wonderful friends- I have… They'll kill them all._

That wasn't all. Underneath the note was a picture of her and Sans! It was when they were walking home from the restaurant, holding hands. They had taken a huge marker and drawn a big red x across Sans' face. Tears stung the corners of Riley's eyes, the papers fell from her hand to the floor. She had to get out… she had to go far away from this place. She stumbled from her apartment, running down the hall tears streaming down her cheeks. She ran down the stairs, and down the road. Where she was going, she didn't know. She just had to get away. She was running down the sidewalk when she tripped and fell, ripping her leggings and scraping her knee. She couldn't see through her tears. She sat on the concrete and cried. _They broke into my HOUSE! They're going to kill him! They're going to kill Sans!_

She sat there for a long moment, letting her knee bleed, her tears fall, and then she took a deep breath and took out her phone, quickly sending Sans a text. _He's probably asleep…_

 _If ur awake, can we talk?_

Hardly a minute had gone by before her phone rang.

"Riley?"

"Sans!" She sobbed.

"Riley?! What's wrong?"

"Red X, they-"

"Where are you?" Sans' voice was filled with anger when he asked the question. "Are you at home?"

"No, I left...I couldn't… I'm on the c-corner of…." She looked up at the street signs. "Pine and Opal P-Pond. Just a c-couple blocks down from…" He appeared just a few paces away from her, shoving his phone in his pocket.

"Riley!" He rushed over to where she sat, and pulled her into his arms. "What happened? What did they do- Your knee!"

"It's just a s-scrape. I f-fell." She murmured. "They… they broke into my house, Sans! They b-broke down my door… and… they said they're going to k-kill you. I can't… I c-can't let that…"

"Red X? Kill me? Shh… it's not going to happen. They couldn't even if they tried." There was a darkness in his expression as he spoke, but it vanished when she pulled him into a tight hug.

"I c-can't lose you, Sans… I don't have anyone else!"

"It's not going to happen, Ri." He said. "I swear. For now, why don't you stay with us. I bet Asgore would be willing to fix and reinforce the security at the apartment."

"Are you sure?"

"Of course…"

"Thank you." She rested her head on his shoulder. _I'm endangering him. I'm endangering him and everyone he loves. I'm such… a fool._

* * *

 **REVIEWS FOR CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO:  
**

 **Oppsie Dasi:** I was WAITING for Sans to have a nightmare.  
I WAS WAITIIINGGGGG!

And OMG! Undyne and Alphys would be the BEST parents EVER!  
If you want any help with names or something, I'll be happy to help :)

 _Yup... unfortunately there will be more of that to come. :(_

 _Yes! They're gonna be awesome! Augh! See, I guess this is the bad thing of having worked so extensively on this. We already have a name picked out, and who they're gonna marry, and what they're gonna be like, and... lol. No, but I'm not even remotely kidding. But! I know you guys will really like the name. It's awesome._

 **CitriDragon:** All this fluff and sadness is killing me.

I love it!

 _This chapter was a lovely mix of both of those things. Nyehehe._

 **Ed's. Curious. Kitten:** EVERYTHING IS SUPER ADORABLE! IT'S 3 AM, AND I REGRET NOTHING! XD I hope Frankie doesn't have a nightmare in Sans' absence... Anyway, keep it up!

 _Well he freaked out, but he's okay now. Other types of sadness abound at the end of this chapter. :(_

 **MachUPB:**

Hi. Awesome chapter! 'Tis I, Anon, except I'm no longer Anon. I was hesitant at first, but I made an account so I could start my own fanfic.  
My theory on Sans' head-voice (calling it that just 'coz) is a particular character minus cter. Undyne and Alphys being parents is INGENIOUS! Monopolop makes its umpteenth return, Boardwalk-race style, and I'm just like yeeeeeeeeeeeeesssshhhh. That's how it is in my household when someone gets Boardwalk (or just another property that someone favours for whatever reason).  
Thanks for writing such a cool story and for drawing the draw I ask about. That's directed at your cousin, too. Yep, me who was previously known as Anon is back to say: looking very greatly and absolutely forward to the next chapter and to the draw, too! :)  
(Wow, that was my longest review yet!)

 _Hello, Anon! Great to see you've joined us! What are you gonna write? I sort of did the same thing. I was hesitant to join, I just read as a guest. But then I decided that I wanted to post some of my stuff on here to see if people would like it. Anyways, it's really fun. :) Yas! Undyne and Alphys are gonna be the best! (And let me tell you, their kid is so adorable. We've done some draws). That monopolop scene was super fun, just because the nicknames. 3_

 _My cousin lost her stylus, but she says she'll try and have your draw done by tomorrow. It's really cute. :D_

 _Thanks for reviewing so much, it's great!_

 **Mr. Indigo:** I can't help but wonder why Riley doesn't just move in with Sans. That will aleviate any fears he may have about not being able to protect them from Red X, and their both dating, so it's only natural that they would share the same bed, correct?

 _Well, she's gonna be staying with him for a little bit, but I don't think they're ready to move in together yet. They're kind of just starting to date so... But they will move in at some point. I know that for a fact. Trust me. hehe..._

 **Autumn R Rivers:** I'm very worried. I know how angst works! And I know that right now, when sans is feeling the most guilty, but maybe starting to calm down...frankie is home alone. Pleeeaase prove me wrong, for heaven's sake.

 _Oops. heheh... he was okay... and then he wasn't. and then he was. and then he wasn't. :(_

 **Oito Y:** So freaking adorable AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA HELP ME GOD I LOVE THIS FIC (meanwhile I listen to MPC songs)

 _Yes! Awesome! So glad you like it! :D_

 **Roxasolina Lombardi:**... *slams fists down on table* Last time I checked, where's Flowey? *chanting* FLOWEY! FLOWEY! FLOWEY!

 **and:** See, what's goanna happen is, Red X DOES come for Riley and that nightmare becomes a reality. Poor Sans. Oh, and that kiss...

(Alphys, I totally ship Sansely hard)

 _I don't think Flowey's gonna show up in this fic. Though, I have said that before about other characters and... well... secrets._

 _Yes! Sansley! (and mayyyybeeeee)_

 **nadiahardar:** WELL I WAS RIGHT ABOUT THE BREAKDOWN (Even though I don't think it counts since he was just scared because of the dream...? WORDS ARE CONFUSING OKAY?!)  
AND I WAS RIGHT ABOUT SCARFMOM.  
I THINK SKELECHILD IS GONNA WAKE UP TO SEE THAT MEMELORD IS GONE AND THEN FREAK OUT! (Yes I'm now always gonna use those nicknames thank you very much.)  
THE DREAMS ARE MOST CERTAINLY COMING TRUE (I know how your cousin thinks.*squinty eyes* ... *cough* notreally *cough* )  
Well, uh I've seen a lot of reviews talking about the voice so I'm gonna tell you who I think it is...  
I  
Think  
The  
Voice  
Is  
His  
Fear

I mean it must be horrible to go through that...  
For so long he's had that voice to help him accept that it's going to go back. Meaning that HE created it.  
I think he has to let go of his fears, for real.  
Not just pretend that everything is going to be okay.  
Then and ONLY then will the voice go away.

...

Oh!  
Umm heheheh this is r-really long isn't i-it?

Holy cow (image that for a second)  
I'm looking forward to the next chapter!  
Don't push yourself though!  
Go nice and slow!  
We know you two won't disappoint!  
I mean you've never disappointed us before!

ImReallyBadAtSayingGoodbyeSoYeah.  
"B-Bye!"

( / ) "hhhhhhhhhhhh"

 _I looooveee those nicknames. :) And, yes they're probably going to come true. maybe... secrets..._

 _Good guess! But I can't give anything away! soo..._

 _Thanks for the reviews! :D_

 **iamdaraptor:** Ohmigosh sorry sorry! Sorry! I couldn't find my posts in the review section and just freaked out so sorry. (っ﹏c)

But anyways... I had to stop myself from screaming and interrupting my mom who's watching tv in the next room. Man. Haven't fangirled this hard since OTWOL. Noice. (ツ)凸

 _Hehehe! I figured something like that would happen. Hehe! SANSLEY! :D_

 **Someguy:** If you explained before, sorry, but what the hell is 'red x'? Is it the guy from teen titans? Cause thats all i found when i searched it. Unless they're oc. Well, anyway, keep up the good work! Ciou!

 _Oh, it's an organization we made up at the beginning of the story that are basically just a group of monster haters. They're the ones who beat up Frankie and who threatened Riley before. :) Anyways! Thanks!_

 **SilerofWorlds:** *The sight of Sansley being a reality fills you with DETERMINATION*

 _How'd you like this chapter? :D_

 **Anonymous:** OMG YES THEY KISSED AND MONOPOLY AND YAAASSNDNDBDB I SCREAMED A LITTLE BIT AND WOWZA MOST OF THIS CHAPTER WAS SO FLUFFY I COULD DIE! And then you ripped it away and held it in our faces :T You made me hurt on the inside with Sans's nightmare. You're clearly a brilliant writer! :)

 _Awww! Thanks sooo much! How did you like this chapter?! :)_

 **trvlsize23:** Oh man! DEM FEEEEELLLLLLLSSSSS! Nice chapter!

 _Thanks so much!_

 **Asreil:** Yo yo yo dd I don't mean to be rude but jkndfbhjifjihgdjhdfbkhnkjhiudjbibnjkdhuibhidjnnjdidbjiubjkdobnijbbnjibffdjibffbdijfdbij wait DA ACTUAL FAQ I ACTUALLY THOUGHT RILEY DIED YOU FUCKING ASSHOLE SON OF A WHORE. FUUUUUUUUUUU oh wait...she didn't die did she WELP great chapter going to grillbies now with sans also I wonder * in epic trailer voice * who might die when , will the reset happen ( best selling novel ) FRRRACTUREEEEERRRRRD HAHAHAHAHAH I SAID TURDHAHAHAHA THAT IS WHAT FRANKIE IS AHAHAHAH A SMALL GANGSTER ASSHOLE

...oh yah I am so relived school just ended yesterday now ... SUMMER ( that im probly going to waste reading this book I think I have won the award for most reviewer posting in this entire book) (I try to post things every chapter but sometimes I have school) #history is great #ihatehashtags #cookies have diabetes...yah um see you both soon... What was that not...humorous?...yes yes I know bad "pun " ishment ...I just keep "shelling" the "yolks" out. I will stop the "egg"celent "yolks" now sorry XD

 _Oops. Oh my gosh. Hehe. Wow. Yeah! Thanks for reviewing so much, it's awesome!_

 **JustARandomGal:** I hope Sans tells his friends about is problems like the voice in his head and stuff... Oh and ps. SANSLY IS REAL

 _Yessss Sansley! 3_

 _Well, we'll see about Sans telling someone. He will at some point. I promise. :)_

 **Thank you all soooo much for the awesome reviews! :DDDDD It's so encouraging and awesome!  
**

 **See you on the next chapter!  
-MH_C**


	34. Chapter 34: Drawings or Triggers

It was a slow Sunday morning, and Sans was getting his cup of coffee. Riley had been living with them for the past couple of days, she was sitting on the couch, watching some sort of anime show. Frankie was sitting at the dining room table, drawing something on a piece of paper, and Papyrus was cooking breakfast spaghetti. Sans walks over to the table, taking a seat across from Frankie,

"Heya, kiddo, whatcha drawin'?"

"It's for my school project!" Frankie grins. "I decided I'm drawing pictures for a timeline of our family! You wanna see this one? I won't spoil it all, but you can see one if you want!"

"Sure!" He smiles, taking a sip of coffee. Frankie quickly finishes the last part of his drawing and hands it over to Sans.

"It's the last one! Me, you, Uncle Paps, Spaghetti, Meatballs, and Justice! All living happily ever after!"

 _Happily ever after, huh, Sans? Aww… Look how happy you are in that drawing- smiling and everything… tsk. Tsk. tsk… You know you can never be truly happy, right? Not while you're attached like this…_

"I-It's a-amazing, kiddo…" Sans smiles, quickly handing the picture back. _**Shut up!**_

"Are you al-?"  
"Hey!" Riley walks in, "Aw! You're showing Sans your project! It's great, isn't it?"

"I-I… I h-have to go… It's a-amazing." Sans gets up in a hurry, nearly tripping over his chair as he scrambles out of the room, back to his bedroom.

"...Sans…?" Riley follows him, stepping into his room hesitantly.

He sits down at the edge of his bed, his breathing irregular. _You know you can never truly be happy, right?_ Those words echo through his skull. She sits on the bed, but she doesn't touch him.

"Are you alright…?"

"Y-yeah." He lied.

"It's Frankie's drawings? They're triggers?" She frowns.

"...I… yeah… I think so…" He frowns, putting his face in his hands, "I'm fine… It wasn't that bad…"

"It's not real, _this_ is real? You know…?"

"Yeah. I know... " He smiles weakly, "Thanks."

"I'm here for you, Sans. Do you… wanna talk about it?" She smiles. He shakes his head,

"No… I... " _I can't tell her about the resets, i can't tell her about what's really going on…_ He smiles, "No. I'm fine."

"I understand… If you're ready… _when_ you're ready… I'm here for you." She nods. "Okay?"

"Thanks, Ri…" He grins, "You're amazing"

"Hardly." She laughs.

"No way, you _are_. I don't know why you put up with me," He takes her hand, "Really, Ri… Thank you…" She smiles, squeezing his hand gently.

"You alright, now?"

"Yeah." He grins, "I'm alright."

* * *

"And this one is of you and me making spaghetti!" Frankie held up the picture he drew for his uncle to see.

"WOW FRANKIE! YOUR DRAWINGS OF SPAGHETTI ARE ALMOST AS GREAT AS MINE!" Papyrus cried.

"Thanks, Uncle Paps. And this one is the last one. That's me, you, Dad, and all the cats. And we live happily ever after! The end!"

"THAT'S VERY GOOD. I'M SURE YOUR TEACHER WILL LIKE IT A LOT, FRANKIE!"

"Yeah, but Dad doesn't…"

"DON'T BE SILLY! OF COURSE SANS LOVES IT!"

"He wasn't happy yesterday when I showed him. He was scared…."

"SOMETIMES THINGS REMIND SANS OF… HIS NIGHTMARES." Papyrus frowned.

"Why would my pictures remind Dad of his nightmares? They're good pictures…."

"I DON'T KNOW. SOMETIMES THAT JUST HAPPENS." Papyrus said. "IT'S OKAY, FRANKIE, I'M SURE HE'LL BE ALRIGHT SEEING THEM TOMORROW."

"I hope so. I chose this project for him. I love him, Uncle Paps. I want him to know… I love you all. We're gonna be a family forever and ever."

"OF COURSE WE ARE! AND WE'LL MAKE THE BEST OF SPAGHETTI FOR THE REST OF OUR LIVES! NYEHEHEH!"

"But… I'm still worried Dad will be upset when he sees my project." Frankie frowned.

"DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT FRANKIE. SANS IS GOING TO BE OKAY! HE'S GOING TO LOVE YOUR PROJECT! I PROMISE!" Papyrus grinned.

"You think so?"

"I KNOW SO!" Frankie laughed, and pulled his uncle into a hug.

"Thanks Uncle Paps. You're the best."

"I KNOW! NYEHEHEH!"

* * *

Sans walks down the hallway, finishing up his mopping. As he passes Frankie's classroom, the family timelines line the hallway. Sans smiles, observing them. _I shouldn't worry about the resets. I should be worrying about now. I should be worrying about Frankie and Riley and Papyrus._

He looks around a bit before finding Frankie's, starting at the beginning. The first picture was of Frankie standing on the side of the street with a frown. _Poor kid. He's been through so much._ Sans moves down the line, the next was a picture of Frankie asleep on the disgusting orange couch. Sans smiles. _I would have never met the kid if my window wasn't broken… So I guess, in a way, I'm lucky it got smashed._

The next picture was of Frankie meeting Sans, and how he didn't leave him at the orphanage. The little skeleton has a huge grin on his face. It felt like so long ago now… _Look how happy he is, Sans. Look how happy you make him. It's funny, 'cause when it resets, your own selfishness is going to get in the way of your happiness. What's gonna happen when it resets and you wake up and he's not there, huh Sans?_ The voice chuckles menacingly in his skull. Sans does his best to ignore it, continuing. The next picture was when Frankie ran away. He looked scared, but he found Luis. The next after that was Sans and Riley finding him again, and the grin returns.

 _You'll miss him, you know. It's all your fault. When you wake up in Snowdin. What are you gonna do? Are you gonna cry, Sans? Because you no longer have a son? Oh- And Riley! Your_ _ **girlfriend**_ _._ The voice sneered, _What about her, Sans? She makes you so happy. What will you do without her to comfort you from your nightmares? Huh? Idiot… But… you do know… There's a way you can stop the resets… right?_ _ **How do I know if that will even work…?**_ _You don't. But if you're so keen on keeping these memories, it might be worth a shot._

No. There's no way Sans is going to waste his life on something that might not even work. _**Just shut up. Let me live.**_ _This isn't living you idiot. This is a lie. Everything you "live" for right now, might not even be there when you wake up tomorrow!_ Sans backs away from the timeline, fear striking his soul. _**Shut up!**_ _What's that, Sans? Am I scaring you?_ The voice giggles, _Good. That's what I'm here for. Tomorrow could be the day, Sans._ _ **Go away! Get out of my head!**_ _Not a chance._

Sans clutches his skull, shaking, "Get out!"

 _I'll get out, soon as you realize what a big mistake you're making._

The skeleton retreats to his supply closet, leaving the hall of family timelines behind him. He couldn't look at them. He couldn't breathe.

* * *

It was lunch break, and Riley was looking for Sans. _I've got a date._ She smiled at the revelation. Sans had promised to meet her by the library doors, but he was nowhere to be found. She wasn't concerned at first, perhaps he had been caught up with something. But after a while of searching, she couldn't find him in any of the halls. _Alright… maybe he's just putting his supplies away… I mean… Where else….?_ She rushed towards the supply closet- surprisingly the only place she hadn't looked. It seemed silly to look there, since the only reason he would go there would be to put things away or to grab something and then he'd leave. But she might just catch him. When she finally got there, the door is shut… Sans wasn't inside was he…? She quickly opened the door, and there he was, sitting on an overturned bucket. She could tell right away something was wrong.

His face was void of emotion, he was shaking.

"S-sans?" She frowned. _It's just like his nightmare, just like the other day… except… Oh god, so much worse…._ "Sans!" She rushed over to his side. "Sans!" He didn't seem to hear her. He rocks back and forth muttering.

"Never happy…. Can never be happy… never happy… They won't remember… Why do I even try…. Why can't I give up?"

"Sans! Please, tell me what's wrong?..." There are tears in her eyes. "Please… can you hear me?"

He looked up at her slowly. "Ri...ley…? Why do I love you so much when I know I can't have you? How can I be in love with you? Why...?"

She shook her head quickly. "No, Sans, no! I'm right here. I'm yours, see. I'm. Yours. Forever!" She quickly wipes away her tears. _I can't touch him, not when he's having a flashback. It could end badly…_

He looked back down at his hands. "giveupgiveupgiveup... Why can't I? Oh god it's going to end. I can't let it end. I don't want it to end."

"Sans, it's n-not going to! And, look, even if it were, even if we were only to have a few more minutes left of this life... I would want to spend every second with you. Whatever happens, I don't want to waste a second on...this. Please... If we focus on the good…" She can't stop her tears now.

Recognition slowly comes back to his face. "Riley...? I... Why are you crying? Did I…" He lifted his hand to his cheekbone where he felt a tear. "I did... I'm s-sorry!" He pulled her into his arms. "I'm sorry I did it again... I'm sorry…"

"No…" She sobbed, "No... Sans, stop. It's not your fault!"

"I... I've always been like this but… this… this… w-was bad…. I-if you weren't here just now... It could've been H-hours before I recovered. T-thank you so much…"

"I didn't do anything…" She was so relieved that he was alright, she held on to him tightly.

"Riley... I could have... N-nevermind. I h-hope I didn't say anything horrible when I was... Gone…?"

"No, no…" She shook her head quickly."Nothing bad…. Nothing horrible…" She kissed the top of his skull gently and then held him tightly. "It's alright now… shh… It's alright!"

"I know… I know…" He presses his skull into her shoulder, holding her close. "Thank you…. Thank you…"

* * *

Frankie began gathering his work books from his desk. His teacher had put all the assignments from throughout the year in a large bag and now he could take them home. But not to show his dad apparently, since his dad couldn't look at something he made without having an attack. _Why do I have to think like that? It's not dad's fault that he has attacks. I shouldn't resent dad for them he should resent the attacks themselves._ But he didn't feel better about it. In fact, recently he hadn't felt very good about anything. As he finished packing up, reason number two to be upset came right up to him.

"Hey, Frankie." _Wren…_

"Hey…" He sighed.

"I… uh… I finished packing all my stuff up in my class. I thought maybe I could come see how you're doing?" She smiled. He frowned, looking down at his hands with a sigh.

"Not good."

"What's wrong?" Wren frowned.

"I… Lots of things!" He gasped. "My dad's freaking about everything and you're leaving!"

"I don't want to leave, Frankie… It's not my fault." She whispered.

"I know… I'm sorry." He glared at the floor.

"Frankie… you'll make new friends."

"I don't want to make new friends! I just want you!" He choked.

"I know…" She murmured. "I don't want to make new friends either. But Frankie, we have to. And… It's alright. We can still write letters and emails, and… I'll call you lots. We can talk on the phone. R-remember….?" He looked up at her to see tears in her eyes. "R-Remember, Fr….Frankie? We'll always… always be b-best friends forever, r-right?" She was crying. Frankie quickly stood up and pulled her into his arms.

"Yeah! Of course! Best friends- always!" He hugged her tightly, tears rolling down his cheekbones.

"Promise me you won't be lonely. You'll make more friends?"

"...I promise." He frowned.

"And promise you'll write me? Lots of letters, and I'll write you."

"I promise. I promise, I promise!" He gasped, hugging her tighter.

"I'm going to miss you so much, Frankie."

"I'm going to miss you too."

* * *

 **REVIEWS FOR CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE:**

 **Ed's. Curious. Kitten:** Yay! More story goodness! XD That had to be the cutest date ever! Stay with Sans, Riley! He'll protect you! Red x won't know what gave them a bad time! Keep it up!

 _Yay! Yes, the date was the best. It took us a while to think of what song he should sing, but we got it right I think. :D_

 **MachUPB:** Great chapter. You and your cousin are amazing authors with amazing ideas. You both have developed this story so well, introducing new conflicts and fluffing it up a bit where necessary. Now if you excuse me, I have a call to make.  
...Meanwhile in Red X's top secret base...  
*Ring ring... ring ring... the phone anwers itself and is put on speaker for everyone to hear.  
"Hey, Red X. Do you guys know what time it is? It's a BAD TIME! Sans is gonna dunk you all sooooooo bad if you show your faces again. Why don't you all get an occupation before that happens that doesn't involve you getting dunked on... and one that pays better, because I can't imagine this job paying well, or at all."  
*Click.

 _Oh my gosh! Thanks so much! Heheh! That's awesome. And, yeah... Red X should probably be pretty careful when dealing with Sans. :P_

 **HourglassMadness:** To Frankie's situation: uh oh... it really isn't fair, but his thing is justice, right? That means that he might do something... drastic. On an off note, wouldn't it be super cool if Alphys and Undyne adopted Wren? Of course this would mean that it would be like a Matilda thing, or something bad would happen to her parents...

To Sans's situation: welp... we've got a problem. I REALLY hope that he doesn't have a breakdown in front of Frankie, because that might cause him to have a breakdown, leading to Sans feeling guilty, which might lead to him leaving to "protect" Frankie.

To Riley's situation: ****. Right when she found true love (AAAAAAAAAAH SANSLEY IS IN PERIL!) Red X just comes and decides that now is a good time to ruin everything. Really hope she doesn't take that running thing ON THE ROAD (get it? Cause she's pretty good at running and could try to leave Sans behind forever to try to protect him but would actually lead to him having a mental breakdown which would spiral into disaster? No? I'll show myself out.)

 _Well, I think Frankie knows that this isn't anyone's fault- there's not reason to go all JUSTICE on anyone. It's a fact of life. He needs to deal with it. :( But he will be alright._

 _Well... Sans' attacks are getting worse... :( Soo... you'll just have to see what happens. As for Riley, she could never leave Sans- I don't think. She's finally found that one thing that makes her feel whole. She's never thought much about herself, Sans opens her eyes and makes her realize that she's worth something._

 **TranscedentalNerd:** That. Ukulele. Scene. Honestly, it was pretty perfect. Hit me in the romantic feels so hard asdfghjkl  
I also feel that Wren moving away will eventually mean more that it seems...  
Anyway, keep writing your amazing story, can't wait for the next chapter :)  
-TN

 _Aaaaah! Yas! I loveee the ukulele... 3_

 _Yes, hehe... stay tuned for what may perhaps be a planned sequel...? Oh boy!_

 _Awesome! Thanks so much for the review! :D_

 **anthonyabc268:** This chapter was awesome great date oooooo and when red x happened wow perfect timing I wonder if sans can help her

 _Of course Sans can help her. Red X is totally gonna get dunked on (again- geez, when will they learn?)_

 **trvlsize23:** Yay! Thanks to you, I have have discovered a new song! Thank you! And of course, as always, beautiful chapter!

 _Yessss! That song is just so good! :) Thanks so much!_

 **Mr. Indigo...( I'm pretty sure...?):** Going to be brutally honest here, I went through an emotional roller coaster this chapter. First it was happiness at seeing Sans kiss Riley, then it was fury at your decision to break up my second OTP of this story, Fren. This, of course, quickly turned to brooding and then quickly to humor because I just remembered that Sans can teleport, and I could just imagine Wren sitting on the couch watching TV and Sans and Frankie both  
appearing out of thin air and scaring the life  
out of her! :) Of course, more warm, fuzzy feelings came when Sans and Riley went on there date... they are just so freaking cute together! Then, finally, came the unbridled fury at the return of Red X, who is essentially this worlds equivalent of the KKK... Trust me, they'll get their just deserts, however, that's the problem with hate groups, you can't get rid of them, because there will always be hate, and those who hate will form or join groups to express their hatred towards something. So even if Red X is destroyed, it would either be revived by former members who gathered a decent following of people and form a sub section called the RRX (Revived Red X) or separate into smaller hate groups, essentially becoming five different organizations all aimed at the same goal, to eradicate monsters. Then of course, you have the problems of these groups gathering a following and actually being elected into a position of power, like mayor, governor, Congressmen, or even President! If you have enough of the bigot racists in power, than they can vote to have the monsters either forcibly moved to a reserve (like we did to the Native Americans under Andrew Jackson called the Trail of Tears) or have them put back underground, where Red X believes all monsters should be, below the Earth, unfit to call themselves even sentient beings on the same level as humans. To paraphrase a quote from Mr. Martin Luther King Jr., I close by saying, "We must realize that so many people are thaught to hate us, they are not fully responsible for heir hate."

 _Okay, yes. That chapter was 100% definitely an emotional rollercoaster. Happy, sad, happy, sad. This one I think was just plain sad. Wow, you have a lot of amazing thoughts on this. That's so neat that you've thought so much about this- that this story by itself is though for this review! Wow!  
_

 **iamdaraptor:** *sees nadiahardar's review* WOAAAH It's just like the Tantabus from MLP (yes I was once a brony deal with it). Luna's nagging guilt and fear of Nightmare Moon manifested itself into a sentient entity which haunts her dreams every night because she believes she needs to be punished for her actions ohmigosh omigosh omigosh.

Ahem. Nostalgic nerdiness aside,this was a really good chapter. I definitely wasn't expecting the quick transition from super fluff to really heavy angst and the callback to the soulless pacifist ending. And,of course,lots of Sansley. To sum it all up... GOOD SHIT GOOD SHIT THAT'S SOME GOOD SHIT RIGHT THERE.

 _Yes! nadiahardar may be on the right track! But I can't tell... shhh!_

 _I'm so glad you liked the chapter! I hope you liked this one too! :D_

 **Guest:**  
AHHHHHH IVE HEARD THAT SONG!  
I HEARD IT FROM AN AMV FOR UNDERTALE!

This chapter is just making me suspect more that the nightmare is gonna become part-true  
(The one with Red X in his house, then proceeding to kill his family.)

Aaaaaah I love this fic so, SO much!

 _Hehe... I heard this song first in Moulin Rouge. Ahh... Ewan McGregor! Anyways! It's a gorgeous song, and it works perfectly!_

 _Aww! Awesome! I'm so glad you like it! :D_

 **I guest as much:** Hey! Awesome last two update! Sorry I didn't review, I was taking a break from the Internet for a while. But anyways, I love how you're showing all of these characters' problems! Frankie and Sans' breakdowns have seemed entirely in-character, and Riley's worries about Red-X totally feel like something she would have! But yeah, thanks and I can't wait for the next update!

 _Awesome! that's always something that worries me- not being able to get the characters right the way they should act. Keeping characters in character. I'm glad we've accomplished it, and I'm glad you're enjoying the story! :)_

 **Monopolop lover:** If Undyne and Alphys change the name of the child they adopt, if it has something to do with MewMewKissyCutie I will actually cry.

 _Hehe... That's awesome. Well... I can't give away anything... so... you'll just have to keep reading... :P_

 **SilerofWorlds:** The plot thickens! Great chapter as usual. I am wondering, will there be a scene where Sans shows off a couple of his powers, to put Riley at ease that he can take care of himself?

 _Maybe...? I dunno. Sans has shown Riley teleportation. So she knows about that. but I don't think any amount of magical showing off will ease Riley's worries. She's falling in love with him, so it will be hard not to worry._

 **Oito Y:** Oh my lord

 _Is that good or bad, I'm not sure. lol :)_

 **THANKS ALL SO MUCH! Reviews are probably our favorite parts of the day! It's always great to hear from you about the chapter! :D**

 **-MH_C**


	35. Chapter 35: Sticks and Stones

At last Asgore has helped pay for reinforced locks and doors for Riley's apartment. After being in Sans' house for a week and a half she's no longer afraid to go back home- all her books and movies awaited her. And food besides spaghetti, of course. It was the morning after she returned home that she was on her way to town. It was, of course, a short walk to the grocery store. She needed to restock on some essential food items- coffee creamer (she knew Sans liked his coffee black now. She, on the other hand, couldn't stand it), eggs, bread, etc.

She made her way towards the grocery store with a spring in her step. Things were going well with Sans and her. Of course there was Sans' PTSD- which was pretty bad. But she had gone through the same thing for so many years after Ally had died. She knew Sans could get through it. She could help him. Of course she would, she would always be there for him. She… well… _I really like him. A lot._ She'd said that before… maybe… maybe there was a stronger word for the feelings she had for him- feelings that seemed to only grow stronger and stronger.

"Hey!" She spun around with a frown. _Someone's shouting… at me?_ "Yeah! You with the scarf. I've seen you hanging around with that… that freak!" It's a taller woman with dark hair and dark blue eyes. She looked down at riley like she was disgusting.

"Excuse me?" _Who does she mean?! Sans?!_

"You and that freak-"

"Who?"

"That-"

"WHO?!" Riley spat. The woman reached out quickly and grabbed her wrist-

"That _monster_." She said the word like it was poison. "The skeleton- you and him! What? Are you falling in love with it?" She sneered.

"In love with a monster!" Someone else laughed.

"S-stop!" Riley gasped.

"Humans and them- we shouldn't mingle…" A man stepped forward. "You're mingling, Riley, a lot."

"How… who… Leave me alone!" She hissed, turning the other way.

"Trying to leave, little Riley?" Another woman laughed. "Trying to go back home to your _thing?_ " Someone's foot stepped out, and she tripped, falling to her hands and knees. She got up slowly while the troupe who was tormenting her all laughed.

"Poor little Riley…"

"Poor little slut... little _bitch!_ " One of the men grabbed her wrist. She yanked away quickly, continuing to walk down the sidewalk back home, tears stinging the corners of her eyes. Then something hard hit her shoulder and she stumbled, nearly falling. _They're throwing… rocks at me?!_ She was terrified, her heart was beating fast, she turned quickly and began to run.

"Come back here, Riley!"

"Come back here, you slut!"

"Monster fucker! She's a monster fucker!" _Monster what?!_ The words burned. _Sticks and stones may break… my bones… but words…. Words…._

"Come back here, monster fucker! We'll heal you!"

"Tomorrow morning you won't even remember that _thing!"_ Another rock hits her in the leg, she grits her teeth, pausing for only a moment.

"We'll beat the attraction out of you! Tomorrow you'll be all better."

"Monster fucker!"

"LEAVE ME ALONE!" Up ahead, on the porch of the little house on the corner stood a woman. She was gesturing for Riley to come. _I don't have many other options._ Riley quickly followed the woman into the house. The woman slammed and locked the door behind her.

"MONSTER FUCKER!" The walls of the house wouldn't stop Red X. The small troop had grown into a hoard. "You're harboring a monster-supporter, a monster _fucker!"_

The woman, who had short light brown hair, light freckles, and bright blue eyes, held up a phone to the window for them to see.

"I'm c-calling the police. Get off my property before you all get arrested!" She gasped.

"You're on the list- woman! You're committing a crime, harboring a woman who's _in love_ with a FREAK!"

"GET OUT!" The woman screamed. In front of the window she dialed the familiar numbers- 911.

"We'll be baaaaackkk!" Someone sang, and the group of Monster haters dispersed. The woman slowly set the phone down and hung up, turning over to Riley who was still sobbing.

"Are you alright?"

"N...no…" Riley whispered.

"Come sit down, I'll make you some tea." She gestured to the couch and then hurried away into the kitchen.

"Th-thank you…" Riley could feel that bruises were forming where the numerous rocks hit her. Her hands and knees were scraped up. Sans would notice. Sans… Sans was going to be angry. She knew Red X irked Sans more than anything. They had hurt his son, they had threatened his girlfriend. Every time you turned on the TV Red X had made the news in some way or another. They were destroying property, threatening people, and worst of all- killing. What would that group have done, had they caught up with her. She didn't know. She was terrified to guess.

"What kind of tea do you like?" The woman said from the kitchen.

"Any k-kind." Riley whispered.

"I'll make chamomile. It'll help calm you down." Riley quickly wiped away her tears as the woman came out to sit with her while the water heated for tea. "They're getting worse…" She frowned, "It's dangerous to be out on the streets when they're about. And they seem to know who you are."

"My… boyfriend gave them a bad time." Riley smiled, but she wasn't really feeling it.

"My name's Cait. What's your's?"

"R-Riley." She whispered.

"So, Riley. Your boyfriend's a monster?"

"Y-yeah. His name's… Sans…" She smiled genuinely this time. Sans was her's. She couldn't help smiling when she talked about it.

"My boyfriend… he's also a monster." Cait said.

"Really?" Riley frowned.

"Yeah. His name's Jay." Cait smiled. "He and I met not too long ago. See, I've been working hard to help monsters find good living conditions and good jobs…. That's where I met Jay. Got him his Pizza delivery job. It's not much, but it's good, and he has a small apartment of his own now. What about your Sans?"

"He… he's a janitor at a school."

"A school? I'm surprised. With Red X attacking places that support monsters many schools aren't accepting monsters as employees, or even students."

"Oh, it's a school for monsters." Riley smiled. "It's so nice. It's almost like… a haven I suppose."

"That's amazing! I hadn't heard of a school for monsters… It must be on the other side of town."

"It is! It's a very nice school." Riley smiled.

"Oh, you're bleeding!" She pointed to Riley's jeans and Riley looked down to see the area around her knees were all torn up in her jeans and blood was soaking through.

"I tripped…" She sighed.

"Here! Come into the bathroom. We'll get you cleaned up." Cait led her into her little downstairs bathroom and helped her clean her knees and put on some bandaids. There were a few sore spots on her body where the rocks had hit. They were going to be pretty dark bruises the next morning. Sans was going to be concerned.

"I think that's the teapot. I'll go pour the tea. Why don't you go sit down?" Cait smiled. Riley did as she said, and soon Cait came back into the living room with two mugs of tea.

"So! Tell me about your boyfriend. What's he like?!"

"He…" She smiled, already feeling better. "He… he's funny and… thoughtful… and he has a son- he loves his son and his brother more than anything. He's an amazing father."

"Wow… it's just Jay really, he doesn't have any family. He's great! So kind and gentle. It's strange to think that people would want to hurt him, or Sans… or any monsters! It's horrible. I can't wait until it's all settled down. Of course there will always be someone who wants to change things, who wants to continue to fight against this… but there will always be someone to oppose them. I want to be that person. I'm sure you do too."

"Of course."

"So… you and Sans… you go out in public a lot."

"Y-yeah… I guess. Enough. Sans… he… well… I guess when it comes to people hurting people he loves he has a temper. Red X figured that one out the hard way. They beat up his son, and he... well… he left them with a couple nasty scars."

"So that's how they know you. They must be keeping an eye on him." Cait frowned.

"I wish they'd just stop. The things they called me…"

"Don't listen to them. They don't know what they're talking about."

"You're a good person, Cait." Riley smiled.

"I try to be…. Hey! Maybe sometime we can get together- the four of us. You, me, Sans, and Jay! How's that sound? You two could come over for dinner sometime?"

"Sure! That sounds great! I can't wait to tell, Sans!" The two women talked for a while longer, finishing their tea.

"How are you going to get home?" Cait asked. "I'm sure you don't want to go out again. I would take you but… I don't have a car…"

"I'll… Oh! I'll call Sans… he'll come get me." She pulled out her phone quickly, dialing the familiar numbers.

"Heya." She smiled at the sound of his voice- it was the little things…

"Hey! Umm… This is an odd request-"

"Anything." Sans said quickly.

"Can you come pick me up. I'll explain when you get here."

"Where are you?" He sounded concerned.

"Umm…" Cait supplied the street names and Riley quickly gave them to Sans.

"I'll be there in a flash." He said before hanging up. It actually took Sans longer to get there than Riley thought, but soon there was a knock on the door. Cait got up quickly to open it.

"Hello." She smiled.

"Heya. Is… Riley here?"

"Right here!" Riley waved.

"Hey…" Sans frowned. "What's going on?"

"...I'll tell you later." She sighed. "This is Cait! Cait, this is my boyfriend, Sans."

"Nice to meet you!" Cait said, shaking Sans' hand. Sans nodded with a grin.

"Did you want to go home, Ri?"

"Yeah… we can talk there." She nodded.

"Alright…" He frowned, he knew something was wrong.

"See you later, Cait! Thanks so much!" Riley gasped.

"Of course! Oh! Let's exchange phone numbers so we can talk about having dinner sometime!"

After that was accomplished, Riley hugged Sans tightly and he teleported them away, back into Riley's apartment.

"What's going on, Riley?" Sans frowned. She sighed, gesturing for him to sit on the couch, and she sat next to him, taking his hand.

"Red X."

"What about them?" Sans growled.

"They… attacked me-"

"W h a t." Sans' eyes narrowed, and he gritted his teeth.

"They… they found me while I was walking to the store…. They called me… horrible names…" Tears stung the corners of her eyes as she spoke. "And they… They threw rocks at me!" She pulled down her sleeve on her shoulder to show him where a dark bruise was forming. Sans' pupils were dimming as he stared in fury at what they had done to her. "But Cait found me! She scared them away, Sans! She saved me, and helped me!" She pointed to the band-aids on her knees. "And she made me tea, and we talked for so long, and- her boyfriend's a monster too, Sans! She wants to have dinner with us sometime!" She grinned. Sans' expression softened.

"That's… great…"

"What's wrong…?" She frowned.

"What's wrong?!" Sans choked. "They would have _killed_ you!"

"But they _didn't_. That's what matters." Riley whispered.

"The would have! And I wouldn't have been there… I…." He grabbed her shoulders suddenly. "I can't lose you, Riley! I can't! I… I'm…."

"Sans…" She frowned, "You're not going to lose me, remember? Not ever. Never. Ever." She leaned her head against his shoulder, wrapping her arms around him gently.

"I… I can't be sure of that." He whispered.

"Shh…" She held him tighter. "I'm not going anywhere, bonehead. I promise."

* * *

Sans had been on-edge ever since Riley told him about the incident. Everytime he thought about it, rage bubbled up inside of him, and he gritted his teeth. He wants nothing more than to completely dunk Red X, straight down to Hell where they belong. The short skeleton sat on the couch, waiting for Riley to arrive for their double date with that woman that had helped her, Cait, and her boyfriend, Jay.

Sans hesitantly flips on the TV, only to be met with new reports of Red X. Apparently now, the anti-monster organization was spreading cross-country. Sans frowns, flipping the TV back off. Riley would be there in fifteen minutes anyways, and he really doesn't need to be in a bad mood during the date. He lets out a long sigh, trying to relax.

Sans needs to preoccupy himself with something, or he was going to punch something.

"Dad? Is everything alright?" Frankie walks into the living room, taking a seat next to Sans. Apparently, Sans' rage was more easily noticed than he had previously anticipated.

"Yeah, everything's fine, kiddo." Sans sighs, giving his son a reassuring smile.

"You don't seem fine…" Frankie frowns.

"It's nothin', kid." The skeleton child seemed to understand it was something Sans didn't want to talk about.

"Alright… Well. Do you wanna play monopolop again sometime?"

"Heh. Sure, kid. That sounds great." Sans grins, his mood elevating instantly, "I'm sure Papyrus'd play it with you right now, if you asked him."

"Uncle Paps says I also cheat, but I think it's just 'cause I keep beating him." Frankie grins, Sans laughs,

"Probably. Maybe we could go to the store, and get another board game. One that Paps can play without accusing us of cheating." Frankie grins,

"Sure! Thanks, Dad! I-" The doorbell rings, "I'll get it!" The little skeleton dashes off and Sans chuckles, Riley walking in a moment later. She smiles under her bright blue scarf.

"Hey, bonehead! Ready to go?"

"Yup." Sans was thankful they were just going to a little restaurant across town. Nothing fancy, so he didn't have to dress up. He takes her hand and they arrive there almost instantaneously. They had arrived before Cait and Jay, so they sat down at a booth next to each other, hand in hand. The other couple arrives a few minutes later. Sans had briefly met Cait before, but he'd never met Jay. Jay was a lizard-like monster with blue scales and piercing blue eyes, he stood nearly a foot taller than Sans, a few inches shorter than Papyrus. Sans stood up to shake his hand,

"Heya. Name's Sans." Jay smiles,

"Jay. Cait's boyfriend." After introductions, everyone sits down, and a waiter comes by to take their orders. Cait speaks up,

"So, Sans. Riley was telling me that you have a son?" Sans smiles,

"Yeah. His name's Frankie. Heh. He's a great kid." Cait smiles brightly,

"How old is he?"

"Nine"

The night continues much like this, talking about each other's personal lives and other various topics that were brought up. One of the televisions at the bar was switched to the news, and Sans' attention was immediately drawn to it. Though he couldn't hear it, he could read the caption on the news story.

 _Red X attack: Three dead- Two monsters and a human._

Red X had killed monsters in the past, but they had never touched a human. Sans bristles, clenching his fists. Riley had told him they couldn't hurt her, because she was human. That clearly wasn't the case any more, and Sans was terrified. He can't lose her. Riley seems to notice Sans' change in behavior almost immediately,

"Sans… Is everything alright?" He doesn't speak, for fear he might snap at her, he just points to the TV screen. Her eyes widen immediately,

"Oh… oh no… that's horrible…" Cait and Jay turn to see the TV too, their smiles fading quickly. Everyone was silent for a while, watching the broadcast. Apparently, Red X's anti-monster movement was really moving, spreading like wildfire across the country. Today marks the day that the first human died from Red X, and Sans was furious. _They're not touching Riley. They're not touching Frankie. And they're not touching Papyrus. Or anyone I know._ He hadn't realized that his pupils had disappeared from his eye sockets, leaving his eyes dark and hollow. Upon realizing this, Riley takes his hand, squeezing gently.

"It's gonna be alright, Sans…" Sans nods slowly, wishing he could believe her. He was so suddenly aware that he was sitting in the middle of a busy restaurant, putting a forbidden love on display for all to see.

"We… We need to go, Riley."

"Sans…"

"Now."

* * *

Frankie stood on the edge of Wren's porch. Despite his feelings the sun had decided to shine on that awful June day- he hated it, and the more he thought about it the more upset he became. Sans was talking to Brent, helping him haul the last few boxes to the moving truck. They had a long journey ahead of them. " _Days!"_ Wren had said. " _It's going to be so hard for us to visit, you'll have to write me tons of letters! Promise?"_ Frankie put his head in his hands and sat down on the step of the porch.

"Hey, Frankie…" Wren… She sat down next to him on the porch, frowning. "I know You're upset… I'm… Sorry…"

"It's not your fault…" he mumbled.

"I'm going to miss you a lot you know…" she smiled.

"I'm going to miss you too."

"Here! I have a present for you…" she pulled a folded piece of lined paper out of her pocket and handed it to him. He unfolded it with a frown. "That's… That's our address and… our home phone number and you can write to me and call me as much as you like. And I'll write you back… And…" She trailed off, tears in her eyes, "And… I… I don't want… I don't want to go…!" He hugged her quickly,

"I'll write to you every day!" He smiled, "And I'll have Frisk and Ella write you too. We'll all write to you."

"Thank you, Frankie." She smiled.

"Alright, Wren, are you ready to go?" Brent came out of the house with the last box to load into the truck.

"I think so…" Wren sighed, looking at Frankie sadly.

"It's time to say goodbye, kiddo." Sans frowned. Frankie nodded, standing up and helping Wren to her feet.

"Goodbye, Wren." He hated those words so much.

"G-goodbye." she whispered, pulling him into a tight hug.

"I'll see you again! Soon." Frankie gasped.

"Promise?"

"Promise."

Brent set his hand on Wren's shoulder, "Come on, sweetheart." Frankie pulled away with a smile. He didn't know what else to say. Wren and her father climbed into their car and Frankie waved until they were out of sight. As soon as they were gone he fell into Sans' arms, trying to hold back his tears.

"Let's get you home, kiddo…" Sans smiled, hugging Frankie tight. In a flash they were back at the house. Frankie pulled away from Sans and turned to go to his room. Papyrus suddenly comes dashing down the stairs.

"FRANKIE!" He shouted happily. "I-"

"I'm in the mood Uncle Paps…" Frankie mumbled.

"BUT I GOT YOU SOMETHING I KNOW WILL CHEER YOU UP! I _WAS_ GOING TO DRAW YOU A PICTURE OF SPAGHETTI, WHICH WOULD HAVE BEEN MUCH GREATER THAN THIS, BUT SANS INSISTED I BUY YOU SOMETHING. I CHOSE THIS," He glared at Sans, " _ALL_ BY MYSELF OF COURSE…" He let out a nervous "nyeheheh" and handed Frankie a little present.

Frankie wasn't exactly in the mood for this, but he decided to get it over with. He quickly ripped open the red wrapping paper to reveal a huge pack of yellow stationary. It wasn't flowery or anything. It was mostly just cool patterns. It was perfect.

"Wow!" He grinned. "This is perfect!"

"OF COURSE IT'S PERFECT! LOOK!" Papyrus pulled out a slip of the yellow paper and showed it to Frankie. "YOU CAN WRITE ON THIS SIDE!" He points to the side with the lines, and then turns it over to the blank white side, "AND ON THIS SIDE YOU CAN DRAW A GREAT PICTURE OF SPAGHETTI! NYEHEHEH!"

"That's great." Frankie smiled.

"OF COURSE IT'S GREAT!" Papyrus paused, frowning. "DON'T WORRY, MY NEPHEW! YOU WILL SEE YOUR FRIEND AGAIN!"

"You think so?!" Frankie grinned.

"I KNOW SO!" Papyrus shouted.

"You're the best, Uncle Paps!" Frankie hugged his Uncle tightly. "I'm going to go write Wren a letter write now!"

"CAN I HELP!?" Papyrus gasped.

"Sure!" Frankie grinned, and together the two of them rushed upstairs to get to work.

* * *

With a sigh, Sans settled into bed, making sure his phone was on and the volume all the way up should Riley call him. Everything was going well, actually. Red X had not shown their face after the human incident, probably for good reason, now that people were actually getting concerned. Frankie was getting better after his friend left, thankfully with Papyrus helping him. And Sans was… happy. He smiles, staring up at the ceiling.

For the first time, in a long time, Sans felt like he could… _live_. With that in mind, Sans settles in for a long, peaceful sleep, closing his eyes. And then Sans wakes up in Snowdin.

* * *

 **REVIEWS FOR CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR:**

 **CitrisDragon:** Gah! So much angst! Also is a reset happens I swear, I will throw my phone across the room.

(Actually, probably not because I really like my phone...)  
Anyway! Awesome chapter!

 _uhhh... sooo how's this chapter looking?_

 **MechaSniper51:  
** Hey im early

 _Yups! lol_

 **OppsieDasi:** Time of death... *enter time here*  
Died of this chapter...

 _How about this one? :D_

 **anthonyabc268:** I honestly am wondering what sans means when he said did he do anything bad I wonder what could be so bad but wow great work with I haven't been reviewing but don't worry still love ur story one of my favorites

 _Well... you know, flashbacks... sometimes you don't... you can't see reality. Sans could react using magic because of a bad flashback. He could react violently. On a less damaging note (sort of) He could say some pretty bad things too..._

 _Awesome! I'm glad you love it! :D_

 **MachUPB:** Omigosh, the feels are real for Sans, and not in a good way. I just wanna burst through the fourth wall and comfort him! Great chapter, though, and I'm sure many will agree with me on that.  
I think we need to call in some very good and understanding therapists to deal with people here; there's so much stuff going on that needs fixing (Frankie getting higtmares when he's not sleeping with Sans, Sans having this heckler-voice in his head as well as nightmares, Riley also with painful reminders of a not-so-good past, etc.), though everything will probably be fixed without external help anyway.  
Anyway, back to my second sentence...  
*Runs off to figure out how to travel through the fourth wall.  
*Distant yells of frustration when realisation of the impossibility of the deed hits.  
*Tries to travel into the story anyway.

...

Yeah, it's not working. Guess I'll just have to settle for another amazing chapter. :)

 _It's going to be alright! He's got Riley to comfort him! They have each other, that's what's important, and together they'll help Frankie._

 **Mr. Indigo:** Bet you a hundred bucks that Chara is the voice inside Sans mind! Also, pretty sure that Sans needs an intervention at this point, since his sanity is mostly gone at this point...  
Also, after last chapter I pretty much went and wrote an entire backstory for Red X! (I'm pretty much emotionally invested in this story by this point...)  
If you want to read it then just say so in the replys of the next chapter and I'll just put it in my next review! :)

 _Well... Sans suffers from PTSD and it's just a process. He just needs help working through it._

 _That would be so awesome! Go ahead and post it, we'd love to read it. :)_

 **sceera1:** I'd wondered what happened to that voice that suspiciously sounds like flowey. Apparently it's still a problem. AAAAA! The feels! The romance! The never ending friendships that are falling apart! The key word of fanfiction for this is FLUFFY!  
I keep on thinking it's going to reset any way, but instead of being random, it's because sans killed himself. "The tension, the uncertainty that at any moment i would wake up back in snowdin...it was like torture."  
What do you think?

 _I dunno, after this chapter what do you think? lol_

 _No but seriously, kind of a cliff hangar, huh?_

 **Ed's. Curious. Kitten:** SO MANY FEELS! I CAN'T TAKE IT! *hugs everyone* It'll get better soon, right?

 _Perhaps... *evil grin* It always gets worse... before it gets better..._

 **Oito Y:** HHHHHHHHHHHHH save me from the nothing I've become  
Poor Sans, though, like really. Thank God Riley was there.

 _I cannot because I cannot save myself heheh..._

 _Yes... Riley is extremely important in Sans' recovery- Frankie too._

 **iamdaraptor:** This is reaching CQ's levels of heart-wrenching stories. I truly feel that this can rival Aftertale with how tragic and sad it is. In fact,it feels a lot like a mashup of Aftertale and the Insomnia comic. Why must you do this,man?!

 _It must always get worse before it gets better. This is why..._

 **Guest:** Great chapter! I really, really hope Riley finds a way to get rid of a certain voice in Sans' head!

 _Like i said, Riley is the key..._

 **Anonymous:** Wow, you did so well with Sans! Bringing in his horror of the resets was absolutely brilliant! My review for the last chapter didn't get posted, but I thought that one was brilliantly done as well.

 _Ohhh I'm sorry about the last review not getting posted... augh... sometimes I approve guest reviews and then when I go back to the reviews page they don't all show up. It's rude. But thanks so much! :D_

 **trvlsize23:** That was a good song! And this Chapter! Thanks!...aw man. Dem feeellss again!

 _ysssss that song is the best! :)_

 _Awesome! I'm so glad you liked it._

 **nadiahardar:** *sees iamdaraptor's comment*  
Ayyyyyy

Something tells me that I'm half right but I'm missing something...hmmm

JFC SANS YOU POOR THING!

Frankie's SO gonna start to think like:  
"Wait. Does my art trigger him because he doesn't want me? Is that why he has panic attacks every time he sees them?! Isn't he ready for the responsibility my?!"  
He freaks out, leaves. Red X happens. Sad things. Freaks get dunked on. Everyone lives happily ever after. The End.

That's how the story ends right?

 _Well... I can't say anything. We've got a while before this story ends though..._

 **Potato:** Poor Sans...and Frankie. Frankie thinks that Sans can't see his work, when just certain things trigger him.

I'm surprised Frankie saying 'Timelines' didn't scare him a bit.

 _Yeah... augh poor kid. Poor Sans... poor everyone. :(_

 _Huh! I didn't even think of that- good catch!_

 **JustARandomGal:** Omg this is the best fanfic ever I love it (and I mean the good kind of love XD) oh and no one has ever botherd to read my review before so thank you for that :)

 _Awww thanks! Oh, I always try and read and reply to people's reviews. I mean, reviews are so encouraging! Sooooo encouraging. I want the readers to know we appreciate them, so I always try and reply to all reviews. Because we love hearing from you all. :)_

 **THANK YOU ALLLLL! Reviews are so appreciated! :DDD**

 **See you on the next chapter! :)**

 **-MH_C**


	36. Chapter 36: I'm in Love with You

**This chapter was extremely painful to write. So, prepare yourself for pain, but it doesn't end half as bad. And... next chapter will be so much better. So I guess the next chapter will be a continuation of this.**

 **Thanks everyone for sticking with us to chapter thirty-six! Woo! :D**

 **-mariahills_capsicle**

* * *

Sans glances around blankly, in complete disbelief. _No. no, this isn't real- this can't be real._ He was in his room- his old room- it was dark, the only light coming from the crack beneath the door. _It's not… it's not real…_ _this is a dream. This is a dream…_ Sans slowly opens the door, stepping out into the horrifyingly familiar upstairs hallway. He felt numb, terrified. He couldn't breathe. He cautiously raises a fist to knock lightly on Papyrus's door,

"Paps…? P-Paps…?" There was no response. He opens the door slowly, to be met by an empty room. "Papyrus…? Bro?" His brother wasn't there. Sans steps back into the hallway, down the stairs, the creaking of the steps echoing through the house. _Papyrus… Frankie… Riley… where are they? This… This isn't real. It can't be._ Papyrus wasn't in the kitchen either. Fear grips Sans' soul as he steps outside. Snowdin was as busy as ever, everyone was talking as they normally would, talking about the new-fallen snow and what Santa brought them for Christmas. Sans walks through the bustling little town when a familiar voice sounds behind him,

"SANS! WHY AREN'T YOU AT YOUR SENTRY STATION!?" Sans spins around,

"P-Papyrus!?" _No… No! This can't be real! This can't… it… it can't be!_ The tall skeleton stood before him, looking irritated.

"I SWEAR, SANS! SOMETIMES, YOU ARE FAR TOO LAZY FOR YOUR OWN GOOD- WHAT WOULD YOU DO WITHOUT ME?" _It… It reset. It reset. I… I'll never see Frankie or Riley again…_ Sans looks down at the ground, his soul heavy with grief.

"SANS…?" Papyrus frowns, "IS EVERYTHING ALRIGHT, BROTHER…?" Sans falls to his knees,

"T-They're… they're gone… T-They're gone…" _What did I tell you, Sans? You shouldn't have gotten attached. Look how much pain you're in now._

"WHO'S GONE, SANS? BROTHER, WHAT IS GOING ON?" Papyrus looks concerned.

"R-Riley… and… and Frankie… oh g-god…" Tears spill from Sans' eye sockets. He was happy. He was so, so happy with Riley and Frankie. And now they were gone.

"SANS…? Sans, brother… you are not well…! Let us go inside, alright?" _Tsk. Tsk. Tsk. All gone, Sans. They're all gone and you got attached. I bet your soul is aching, isn't it? Look what getting attached does to you. Look what it does, Sans!_ The voice was menacing, raging. Sans should have listened. He should have listened to the voice.

"SANS!" Papyrus falls to his knees in front of his brother, "Sans- what's wrong!?" He shakes him gently. Sans doesn't respond, his expression devoid of emotion.

"Sans, please brother… you're scaring me… get inside!" Papyrus was frantic. Sans gets to his feet, walking past Papyrus. _**There's only one thing I can do now. I can end all of this. I can stop something like this from ever happening again.**_ He shortcuts outside of the MTT resort, his skull pounding, tears falling freely. _**This is the only way i'll ever be happy.**_ He walks through the lobby, to the Core. _**If I erase myself from time and space… I won't have to deal with the pain.**_ He looks over the railing, his soul feels like it's going to split in two. The shining white light below the walkway pulsates with pure energy. _**This is the only way out.**_ Sans steps over the railing, shaking, barely able to grasp onto the metal bars. _Do it, Sans. End it. Now you know why you can't get attached, don't you?_

"I-I-It's… it's not FAIR!" Sans sobs, having to shout over the sound of the Core. _But you can avoid this. This pain. It's all your fault. Riley and Frankie. They're gone now. You'll never see your girlfriend again, and you'll never see your son again._

"I- I deserve- I _deserve_ to be HAPPY!" _No, Sans. You don't. People who give up… they don't. They don't deserve to be happy. You're the kind of person who will sit around and do nothing while everyone dies around you. Only when it gets serious, when you feel like you need to step in, you will. So, so selfish. You let your brother die, Sans. You let everyone die._

"SHUT UP! JUST SHUT UP!" Sans nearly loses his grip on the rails. _Are you not going to do it, Sans? Are you too afraid? D o i t, s a n s. It'll make the pain YOU caused go away._ The skeleton looks down into the void, _**This is the only way out. No more pain, no more suffering…**_ and then… Sans lets go.

Sans wakes up with a jolt, his skull pounding, his left eye flashing rapidly between blue and yellow. _Frankie! Riley! Papyrus!_ He bolts out of bed, nearly falling in the process. Everything was spinning as he bursts into the hallway, towards Frankie and Papyrus's room. He throws the door open. _Thank god- oh thank.. Thank god. Oh… oh god… Riley…_ Sans races to grab his phone, dialing 'Riley the Human' as fast as he could. _Please… oh god, please be there…_

Riley picks up a moment later,

"Sans…? What's going on…?" Relief floods his soul,

"R-Riley- Riley, oh god, oh- oh _god_ …"

"Sans…? Sans? Calm down- what happened?"

"I can't… I can't… Riley! I can't go back there, I can't… and I can't lose them… you…"

"Sans, what are you talking about? Can't go back where?"

"P-Please… I just w-want them back… I need… I need Riley… I need F-Frankie…"

"Sans- Sans calm down, I'm on my way, alright?"

"P-Please… please h-hurry…"

* * *

When Sans had called her, she hadn't hesitated. He had sounded frantic, terrified. She had guessed, by symptoms she had seen previously, that he suffered from some form of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, but now it seemed more real. She pulled up to his house, she hadn't even bothered to change- she was still wearing her pajamas, leggings and a t-shirt one size too big. She had managed to pull her hair out of her face into a messy bun on top of her head, before reaching her car. Now, flipflops smacking on the pavement, she rushed up the walkway to his front door. She didn't even knock. The door wasn't locked. She pulled it open and rushed into the house.

The living room was dark and quiet. Somewhere upstairs a fan was whirring gently. She hesitated, listening. She heard mumbling, and she reached for the familiar location of the light switch. The large living room was filled with bright yellow light, sitting in the corner between the computer desk and the stairs was Sans. He was holding on tightly to his legs, rocking back and forth. His forehead was resting on his knees.

"Sans?!" She rushed over to him, throwing her keys down on the computer desk as she knelt in front of him. "Sans…? What… Tell me what's wrong…" He looked up, and his face was completely devoid of emotion.

"I've lost them." He whispered. On the phone he had screamed, cried. " _I can't… I can't… Riley! I can't go back there, I can't… and I can't lose them… you…"_

"Who? Who have you lost?" She frowned. She remembered how she had been taught to deal with PTSD, one of the no-nos for her relatives to learn was that while she was having a flashback they shouldn't touch her until she'd given them permission to, but she wanted so desperately to hold him. He looked broken- emotionless… lost…

"Frankie and Riley… I… They're gone. I'll never…" Tears rolled down his cheekbones as he spoke, but it was like he wasn't looking at her, he wasn't seeing her. "I'll never see them again! It's started all o-over! How w-will I ever f-find them?!"

"Sans. It's not real. You're having a flashback. Okay?" _Step one: Remind your loved one that what they are seeing or feeling is not real- it's a flashback, a shadow of what's in the past._ God, so many times she'd been assured this by her relatives. She knew it was hard, but after a while those words began to help. "I'm right here, and I'm not going anywhere. Neither is Frankie. We can go see him if you want. He's fast asleep in his bed."

"Frankie? I don't know where he is. Probably with his parents…" The look on his face was one of utter heartbreak. "I can't… I c-can't see him now. I'm not… I'm not his dad anymore. He won't know me. But I… I just want to hug h-him one more time… I just w-want to hear him call me d-dad… I can't… I can't be here!"

"Sans, darling, please. Focus on my voice. Focus on where you are. Where are you?"

"SNOWDIN!" He screamed. "I'm in Snowdin. I don't want to be here. I want to go HOME!" He burst into sobs, hugging his knees tightly.

"You are home- in your house with Frankie and Papyrus. You're not in Snowdin, Sans. You're with me, Riley." She tried to offer him a smile, but his agony was rubbing off on her, it hurt her to see him so pained.

"Riley… Oh god, Riley. I… I n-need her. I c-can't live without her. She's on the surface and… she won't r-remember me. Riley… R-Riley, I just… I want her to be w-with me, and I just…" He trails off, his face suddenly contorting from sorrow to anger. "IT'S NOT FAIR! IT'S NOT FAIR! I LOVE HER, WHY DO YOU HAVE TO TAKE EVERYTHING I LOVE AWAY FROM ME! … It's n-not… It's n-not fair…" _He…. He loves me…._ He had never said those words before. _Sans_ _ **loves**_ _me?!_ Oh god, she loved him- more than anything. _Now isn't the time._

"Sans. Please…. I'm right here. None of what you're seeing is real. You're not in Snowdin, and I remember you. Look at me! It's me! Riley." There are tears in her eyes now. _I have to remain calm! Step number two is remain calm. Show your loved one you have nothing to fear and neither should they._ But it was so hard to remain calm when she was seeing him in such agony.

"Your name is Riley too?" He frowned, still seeming to look completely past her.

"N-no, Sans, it's me… Riley Elizabeth Malloy. Please, Sans, can't you… see me?" Recognition flashed in his gaze as he stared up at her.

"Riley?!" Joy appeared in his expression. "How- how did you get down here?! Did you fall?"

"Sans… We're not in Snowdin." Riley whispered. "We're at home, above ground. Frankie and Papyrus they're upstairs fast asleep, safe and sound. Do you see where we are, Sans?" _Step three: Ask your loved one to describe their surroundings, or describe them to him or her so that they can have a sense of security, or safety._ "We're in your living room, in that little nook that Frankie likes to hide in when we're playing hide and seek- between the stairs and the computer desk. See?"

He stared up at her for a long moment as his white pupils began to reappear.

"R...Riley…?" The edge of fear that had been in his voice before was slowly disappearing. "R-Riley?! What happened? Why are you… crying?" He reached out and wiped the tears away from her cheeks. She took this as an invitation and pulled him into her arms.

"Sans… God, you scared me."

"I…" He stiffened. "Oh no…. Oh…" She pulled away to see his expression, and she saw terror in his eyes. "I… Oh god, I thought I'd lost you and Frankie." A tear rolled down his cheekbone and she gently wiped it away with her thumb.

"It was just a dream. Just a flashback."

"I thought… Oh god it was so…" He choked on a sob. "It was so real! It was so…" He was sobbing, his whole body trembling. She gently lifted his skull so he was looking at her.

"Sans… It wasn't real at all. You see me? I'll always be here with you, okay? This is real: Me, Frankie, this house, everyone around you right now. That is real. The dream, the flashback, you just had. None of it was real." He wiped away his tears quickly and gave her a shaky smile.

"Riley…. You… you saved me."

"You called me. I came. That's how it works." She kissed the top of his skull gently, and then, still holding on to him, murmured, "Sans, would it help if I stayed here with you?"

"You mean tonight?" His voice still sounded choked up a little, but she knew he was doing better. "I probably won't have another episode tonight. The most often I've ever had them is once a night."

"Well… I actually meant…" She pulled away, so she could look him in the eyes. "What if I… y'know? Moved in?"

"You want…" He frowned. "You want to move in with _me_?!"

"Oh! Well, only if you want to, I mean…"

"Riley, I would love for you to move in."

"Really?" She grinned.

"Yes, but… Is that what you want? I… I have these episodes and they aren't ever pretty. And Frankie has nightmares- we both have nightmares. And…"

"Sans. Look at me. I know what it's like to go through this." She tapped the scar on her chin gently to emphasize that fact. "I want to help, and when I can't… I know what to do. We're all flawed in our own ways. It's our jobs, being in a relationship and all, to not focus on those flaws but to focus on the good things."

"Riley… _my_ wonderful Riley…" He smiled, cupping her cheek in his hand. "You always know what to say." He leaned forward and kissed her gently, pressing his teeth to her lips. She leaned into it, tilting her head slightly before pulling away.

"So, uh… Is that a yes? Am I moving in?"

"Yes." He nodded firmly. She laughed, hugging him tightly.

"You feel better?"

"A… a little." He was still trembling, she hugged him tightly.

"Want me to stay the night?"

"Yes… please?"

"Sans! Always." After a few more moments, of holding on to him she pulled away gently. "Let's go upstairs and back to your room. It'll certainly be more comfortable than down here."

"Sure." After flicking off the light they walked together up to Sans' room. It was a mess, but Riley elected to ignore it for now. She let go of Sans' hand to go around to the other side of the bed. There, she pulled back the blankets and slid in next to him, holding on to him tightly. "We should get some sleep." He frowned, and she saw fear in his expression.

"I… If you're tired, go ahead." He responded. _He may not be scared of another episode but he's terrified he'll have another nightmare. I've got to do something to help calm him down._ She nervously cleared her throat and began to sing softly.

"Wise men say… only fools rush in... but I can't help falling in love with you…" She gently began to rub his sternum. Her mother used to do that when she was sick or had a nightmare. She would come in and sing softly, rubbing her upper chest gently. He seemed surprised at first by her singing to him, but he smiled as he listened. "Shall I stay… would it be a sin… if I can't help falling in love with you?" To her surprise he joined in, softly, and she was amazed to find that he had a beautiful singing voice- deep, and strong. He harmonized with her, their voices blending together.

"Like a river flows… Surely to the sea… Darling, so it goes, some things were meant to be." _Darling. He was her darling, always._ "Take my hand, take my whole life too, 'Cause I can't help falling in love with you." She trailed off, and he followed, even though it wasn't the end of the song. She sat up to look down at him, he was falling asleep again.

"Darling…" she smiled. He looked up at her, his expression was of pure joy. "I'm going to call you that now, okay?" He laughed a little.

"Sounds good to me, sweetheart." He closed his eyes, and she lay back down, leaning against him. "Goodnight, Ri." He murmured.

"Goodnight, Darling…" She said before he drifted off to sleep.

* * *

When Riley woke up it was far too early for how late she was awake the night before. She moaned, rolling over slightly to feel that Sans' side of the bed was empty. She blinked, sitting up slightly, running her hand across the cool mattress.

"Sans…?" The room was still dark, the curtains were still down, so no sunlight shone through. She stood shakily. _He's probably just making coffee…_ But Sans' state last night had not been a good one, so she was worried. She pulled her tangled hair out of the hair tie she'd been wearing last night and quietly made her way downstairs. "Sans?" _I hope he's… alright._

The living room was still dark, and there wasn't a sound. "Sans? Where are you…?" The worry was growing within her. _He was in such a bad place last night…_ "Sans?" He wasn't downstairs. _Oh god… where… where could he be?_ Her hands were beginning to shake.

"RILEY?!" Papyrus was standing at the bottom of the stairs looking confused. "YOU'RE NEVER HERE THIS EARLY."

"I spent the night." Riley frowned, still worried about Sans.

"YOU SLEPT ON THE COUCH?"

"No… I slept in Sans' bed."

"SPENT THE NIGHT? IN SANS' _BED?!_ "

"Well… yeah…?"

"WHERE DID SANS SLEEP?!"

"In…. his bed." She sighed.

"YOU BOTH SLEPT IN SANS' BED?! WHY?!"

"That's… that's just what boyfriends and girlfriends do."

"TOGETHER?! THAT SOUNDS HORRIBLE, HAVING TO SHARE A BED."

"Actually…" Despite her worry, her cheeks turn bright red. "It's nice."

"IS SANS STILL IN BED?" Papyrus asked, hurrying towards the kitchen.

"Actually… I'm worried. He's not."

Papyrus stops. "HE'S… NOT IN BED? WHERE IS HE?!"

"I don't… I don't know."

"HE'S NOT DOWN HERE… AND HE'S NOT IN MY ROOM…."

"He's not in the house… He was… upset last night."

"UPSET?!" Papyrus frowned. "SANS….? HOW BAD WAS HE UPSET…?"

"It was… It was pretty bad." She looked down at her hands. "I… I tried to help and I thought I did but what if…" She bit her lip, trying to hold back tears. "What if I didn't. What if he's… still upset and…"

"DON'T WORRY RILEY! WE WILL FIND SANS TOGETHER!"

"Do you think you know where he is?" She looks up with excitement.

"WHEN SANS IS UPSET HE GOES TO GRILLBY'S! WE CAN LOOK THERE!"

"What about…. Frankie…"

"Oh…" Papyrus frowned. The easy solution was calling Toriel, who soon came to pick up the little skelechild. Neither Riley nor Papyrus spoke to Sans' son about his father being missing, and it hurt Riley to lie to him- but she didn't want Frankie to worry. And she knew that if Frankie knew Sans was missing he would panic- it was part of his own PTSD.

"We have to find Sans." She said to Papyrus, "Frankie needs his father."

"I KNOW." Papyrus nodded quickly. "LET'S GO!"

And so off they went, first to Grillby's. Sans was not there. And no one there had seen him. Papyrus took Riley a few other places he thought Sans might be, and Riley had a few ideas. The place they'd met, when Sans had been distressed about not being able to find Frankie. The coffee shop they'd met in a few times. But Sans was in none of the places they looked. It was getting late in the afternoon, and Riley's worry had grown so bad- she was shaking.

"We've looked everywhere! Where could he be?!" They had tried calling him, but he had left his phone at home, so that was useless.

"I DON'T KNOW… MAYBE HE'S LOST!"

"Lost?" _Why would he be lost? He could be confused- like he was last night._ "Maybe he is… but where would he go if he were lost?"

"HMMM…." Papyrus frowned, staring down at his hands which were holding tightly to his steering wheel. "I REMEMBER SOMETHING… SANS SAID A LONG TIME AGO. HE SAID… THAT IF I WERE EVER LOST I SHOULD GO HOME TO SNOWDIN…. WHAT IF SANS WENT THERE?!"

 _All of Sans' episodes and nightmares revolve around Snowdin. He would never go there voluntarily…. But there's… there's nowhere else to look. This is the last place that he has any connection to._

"You're sure he might be there?"

"LET'S GO LOOK!" Papyrus slammed his foot on the gas and sped off towards Mt. Ebott.

Riley had never been Underground before, but she didn't have time to look around- she was too worried about Sans to pay attention to her surroundings. She followed Papyrus blindly, thinking through a million if-onlys. _If only I'd woken up earlier. If I had stayed awake with him longer, comforted him longer. If only I had… If only…. If only…._

"HERE WE ARE!" Papyrus' voice made her shoot out of her thoughts. _Sans' old house…_ It looked nice. It was just then she realized how cold it was. There was snow on the ground, her feet were freezing since the only shoes she had were flipflops. And she was only wearing a t-shirt and sweat pants. She shivered. "ARE YOU COLD, RILEY?"

"It's… It's a l-little cold." She smiles.

"HERE!" Papyrus gently pulled off his scarf and wrapped it around her shoulders. "DON'T WORRY, RILEY, THIS WILL KEEP YOU WARM! AND DON'T WORRY. WE'LL FIND SANS!" Papyrus quickly entered Sans' old house, and Riley followed.

"Sans?!" She gasped. There was no response. Papyrus frowned, and together they searched the dusty, abandoned house. Sans was nowhere in the building. Riley collapsed on the old couch in defeat.

"Oh god! We've looked everywhere!" Tears filled her eyes, and she put her head in her hands..

"BUT… THERE'S NOWHERE ELSE HE COULD BE! HE MUST BE DOWN HERE SOMEWHERE!" Riley quickly wiped away her tears and looked up at Papyrus with a frown.

"Isn't there an old Grillby's down here?"

"YES."

"Didn't you say Sans used to go to Grillby's when he was upset?"

"OF COURSE! WE HAVE TO CHECK GRILLBY'S!" Papyrus grabbed her hand and led her down the road to the old building where Grillby's used to be. Papyrus pushed open the old door. The building was dark and empty, except for one figure sitting at the bar.

"Sans!" She gasped, relief filling her soul. The figure stiffens.

"Riley…."

"SANS! WE'RE HERE TO TAKE YOU HOME! DON'T WORRY. WE KNOW YOU WERE LOST, BUT YOU ARE NOW FOUND."

"I'm not going home."

"Sans… Please… Frankie and Papyrus and I… we…. We miss you…" Riley frowned.

"No…. I'm not going home." Sans turned slowly to face them, his face was expressionless.

"SANS…" Papyrus said. "WE'VE COME TO RESCUE YOU!"

"Don't you get it?!" Sans choked. "I can't. Be. With. You!" He looked directly at Riley. "I can't be with you anymore. I can't…. I can't… It's all over." Sans turned back around, looking down at his hands, "It's… over." _I can't be with her. Not anymore. I can't… I can't get attached._

"No! That's… that's not true, it's not!" Riley gasped. "What… what about everything you said last night- everything I said?!"

"...o-over….?" Papyrus frowned.

"I can't be with you. I can't be with anyone. Leave me…. _Alone._ " He didn't dare look at her or his brother. He felt broken, hurt. Like his soul was going to shatter.

"NO SANS! IT CAN'T BE OVER! I WILL TAKE CARE OF YOU! JUST LIKE YOU TOOK CARE OF ME!"

"Leave. Just…. Leave me alone. Stay away from me." His voice is cold, his hands clenched into fists.

"Sans…. P-please…" She was clearly crying. "I c-can't…. I c-can't… not like this…"

Sans suddenly spun around, glaring,

"LEAVE ME ALONE!" He slams his fist on the table, seething. _Why can't they just leave me alone!?_  
"I won't! I w-won't!" She gasps. "Last night you said s-something to me! L-last night… do you r-remember?!"

"No. No I don't." he hisses, hating the harshness in his voice, but he has no other option. He's frustrated, he just wants to forget- forget everything.

"You said…. You said you _love_ me!" She sobs. "Pl...please! Look at me! Look at me and tell me that was a lie. IT WASN'T A LIE!" He looks her directly in the eyes,

"It was a _lie_ , Riley. I don't. I don't love you." _I can't love you, but oh god, I do._

She's quiet for a long moment. " _Fine._ It was a lie. But I'm not lying… you may not love me Sans but I'm… I'm so… s-so _in love_ with you, Sans! I _love_ you! More than _anything_!"

 _She… loves me…?_

"Then you've made a huge goddamn mistake. I can't love you. I can't be Frankie's dad. I can't live on the surface. I never want to see the sun again- because you know what? None of it _fucking matters!"_ He chokes on a sob, "I want- I just- It's not _fair!_ So do me a favor- a-and g-get… get the _hell_ out of my life!"

"S-SANS… YOU… YOU DON'T MEAN THAT…." Papyrus gasps. Riley was sobbing harder.

"I w-wont… I w-won't leave you. I WON'T! If it's true- if you don't love me…. YOU'VE LIED TO ME ALL THIS TIME….I thought…. I believed…." She pauses, trying to catch her breath. "I thought I was worth something…" Sans' expression softens a little, _you're worth something, Riley. I love you._

"I- You… Just…" He can't find the words, "Just… t-take care of Frankie… for me, would y-you? I… I don't want him to lose you too, Riley. He needs you and Papyrus. I can't be there for him anymore."

"You…. you made me feel like…. You made me feel like I was worth something! YOU LIED TO ME! How could you do that?! BECAUSE IT WAS EASY?! B-BECAUSE... Because I… was...a-already so…. In need of… some sort of confirmation? Because I was a-already s-so close to KILLING MYSELF?! Yeah, I was an easy target! AND YOU LIED! ….I fell in l-love with y-you and…. It… it was all a lie…" _She was going to… kill herself?!_ Sans can't go on like this- it wasn't a lie- none of it was. He _loves_ her.

"I'M NOT LYING- I _DO_ LOVE YOU! And… a-and it's… it's be… because I love you- that I can't, alright?! SO DO ME A FAVOR A-AND.. Please… get… get out. I don't ever… ever want to see you again. It- it hurts…. It hurts so much, Riley… But I do. I _do_ love you. But I can't. I just… I fuckin' can't."

She wasn't listening, she was crying, screaming really. "I w-was in love WITH YOU!" She stumbles towards the door but falls onto her hands and knees. Papyrus looks over at Sans with horror in his expression, and then he goes to Riley, gently pulling her into his arms.

"HE… HE DOESN'T… HE…. RILEY, IT'S OKAY… IT'S…"

"IT'S NOT OKAYYYYY… I… I thought… I thought…. I was worth something… to _him._ I was… nothing…"

Sans stays silent, his soul aching. He wants to hold her, to reassure her. But this was good, wasn't it? If she leaves him alone, he wouldn't have to worry about her after it resets. He could break all ties with this reset and be happy in the next one. _But… I love her. I really do. How can I let her think that she doesn't matter? That she's not worth something…?_

"I c-can't go back… I c-can't go back to the way it w-was before… I c-can't feel that w-way again… I c-can't…. L-live like that…. I can't l-live! I can't… I have… I have to…. I c-can't go back… It h-has to end… I w-won't go back…"

"DON'T… DON'T SAY THAT, RILEY!" Papyrus gasps.

"I WON'T GO BACK! After Ally died…. I DON'T MATTER! I NEVER MATTERED! He lied to me! He said he loved me and it was a lie! And I th-thought it meant something but it d-didn't! I c-can't go back to the way it w-was before. It w-would be better if I d-died. It would be better… if…. I finished wh-what…. I started."

"N-NO! R-RILEY…."

"It's okay…" She smiled through her tears. "No one will miss me… just like before. When I met him… I thought they would… but no one… will…."

Sans gets to his feet, his soul pounding with every possible emotion. Fear. Rage. Sorrow. _Agony._ He takes a deep breath, walking over to Riley and Papyrus. "I love you, Riley… I… I just want you to know- you made me the happiest guy on earth. I got up every morning with a smile on my face, just… just knowing that i could see you… a-and Frankie. You brought so much, so- so much joy to my life. I love you. And god- you made such a difference in my life. You're the most beautiful, most amazing person i've ever had the pleasure of meeting and I do- I _do_ love you. I love you so much, that it hurts." _And god, how it hurts._

She's shaking, looking up at him with wide eyes full of tears.

"How… c-could I ever… t-trust you…?" She breathes. "You… l-lied… You still lie…And you… you just don't want me. Y-you want me to… l-leave…." She holds onto Papyrus tightly.

"I want you to leave, because it hurts… my love for you hurts. I can't breathe when i'm around you, and you make me smile. God, you brighten my world… You helped me through so much… and I'm not lying when I say that. Look me in the eyes, Riley. I'm not lying when I say I love you."

"You're w-wrong." Her eyes are red, her hands shaking badly. "None of that hurts. What you're doing now- this hurts. All the lies- all the terrible lies… and… all the horrible, h-horrible things y-you've said..."

"I… I... " He takes a shaky breath, "I… Please, Riley… I… You don't understand… you don't understand why I'm doing this- I know you don't… but my love for you is ripping me to shreds…"

"You're still…" She stares up at him, tears rolling down her cheeks again, "You…. the dream… this is about the dream! How could you do this to me over a _dream?!"_

"It's not a dream, Riley… please, you don't understand… It's… it's going to happen again and… everyone'll be… they'll be gone- you… Frankie… You guys… you'll be gone. And I can't do anything to stop it…"

"How c-could he do this?!" She looks at Papyrus who seems equally bewildered. "He's letting the p-past define how he lives n-now." She looks back up at Sans, "I love you… and you…. Why can't you focus on what you have _now!?"_ Her eyes are filling with tears again, she's biting her lip hard.

" _Why can't you focus on what you have now!?"_ Those words echo in his head and he realizes… She's right. He needs to focus on _now_. "I… I'm… so sorry… oh god, Riley, I'm so sorry…"

"You're _sorry."_ She stares up at him blankly, and her eyes widen. "You're sorry?! I…. oh god…. I…. The things you said… I think… I mean… I was having a panic attack… oh god...and you… _You're sorry_?! I… I can't think… I… I'm sorry… _I'm sorry."_

"I was wrong… oh god, I was wrong…" He whispers, afraid that she won't forgive him. At this point, he really wouldn't blame her if she didn't forgive him. "I'm… I n-need to focus on _now_. A-and oh god, I'm sorry…"

She takes a deep breath, sitting up, and staring up at him, wiping away her tears. " _I'm_ sorry, Sans… I… it was just a flashback- an episode and I… I wasn't there for you… I should have been there, but… I… I couldn't… I couldn't…. I'm sorry…."

He shakes his head,

"I shouldn't… i shouldn't have said… the things i did. I love you. I… i really do. And I don't want to leave you- I dont want you to leave me." _Screw what the voice has to say. I can't live without her and i understand now- she can't live without me._

"Let's… start over…." She smiles a little, still shaking badly. "Y-you… last night… y-you said you love me… when you… were…. Having the episode…"

"A-And I mean it. I love you. I don't want to live without you. I want you to be here, with me. Because I _need_ you."

She chokes, tears filling her eyes again. "I n-need you too…. So much… I l-love you."

He pulls her into a tight hug, relief flooding him. "I love you too." She breathes in deeply, sobbing into his shoulder, gripping his coat tightly.

"Please…. P-please d-don't do that again… P-please…."

"FINALLY! SANS! I'M GLAD YOU'RE ALRIGHT, BUT YOU BOTH… WORRIED ME."

"N-never. Never again. I…. I won't do it again…" He holds her close.

"C-can…. C-can we go home…?" She mumbles. He nods,

"Y-yeah… we can go home."

* * *

 **REVIEWS FOR CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE:**

 **Oppsie-Dasi:** He's... in Snow...din...  
What...  
The actual...

OH HELL NO! FRISK YOU DINGUS! WHY! WHY! WHYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!

 _sHH...Its okay... we're on our way to the climax. It's good._

 **CitrisDragon:** NONONONONONONO! PLEASEBEADREAMPLEASEBEADREAM! Whyyyyy?! Why do this to me?! My poor heart!

 _Dream! It's a dream, breathhhhh! Everything's gonna be okay. You know what they say. What doesn't kill you makes you stronger._

 **DezyBear:** A RESET HAPPENED?! PLEASE SAY THAT DIDN'T HAPPENED! BE A DREAM BE A DREAM BE A DREAM!

 _It didn't happen. Just a dream! It's okay. :)_

 **MachUPB:** I was thinking this was a great chapter that was very well written, with new friends being made and Red X up to more shenigans that keep getting worse, up until the the last sentence. Now all I can think is OHMYGOSHPLEASEBEADREAMPLEASENORESET!  
*Tries to run out of room in such a hurry that–  
*THUD*  
*–that the door is missed, colliding with the wall and falling over comically instead.  
Ow... I needed that. I hope "worse" finishes soon so that "better" can start, 'coz these people are having a pretty bad time.

 _Like I said, before it gets better it's just gonna get worse. I think this is worse and we're gonna slowly climb up to better. (I _think_)_

 **StarCre8tion:** You little...  
WHY? THEY WERE HAPPY (KINDA)  
Pal, you better have a good explanation for this or a certain skelly will give ya a bad time.

Jk we all love ya but why ;~;  
To Sans, buddy, chum, pal, try not to flip, okay? Frisk, umm... probably has a good reason for this kay?  
Hey, maybe it's not Frisk?  
(Though, on the news it was said that two monsters and a human was killed. Just a possibility, but are the monsters and human anyone we might know? *coughpossiblyTorielandFriskcough*)

 _Oh he didn't even try, It was pretty bad wasn't it? *winces* Poor Sans. But can you imagine, everything that he loves being torn away like that?_

 **Mr. Indigo:** You've got to be kidding me! It RESET! The Timeline RESET! I thought you said it wouldn't RESET! Did you go back on your word!? I have no idea... But thinking from a clear point of view, I can see that it probably isn't a RESET, but just a dream or a realistic vision that causes us (and Sans) to think that it is a RESET. But then again, if it is a RESET, then Sans would be able to redo his mistakes and make sure that Red X never rose to prominence.  
Speaking of Red X, I believe it's time I told you the history of the organization that everyone hates! You see, Red X is actually an extremist sub-section of a wider, country-wide organization called White X, while not as violent as it's Red counterpart, it mostly focuses on the segregation and de-humanization of monsters, giving them less rights and equality than humans. White X, of course, usually consists of rich white men and members of the political chain, which can see the completion of the groups goals. Of course, the group is hush-hush, so much so that it became somewhat of a conspiracy theory amongst the common man. The X, by the way, stands for Xavier, the man whose teachings both groups, White and Red, were founded after. Xavier, of course, was a prominent and wealthy WHITE Southerner who preached the message that monsters were inferior to humans in every way, shape and form. To say an actual quote from the man, "Monsters are an inferior species to humans, mostly made up of magic, they do not have the power to survive outside the body, we as humans do, and therefore are the superior beings and deserve to be called, and treated, justly so. That is why our forefathers sealed the demons underground for all eternity, because we as humans are the superior species, and monsters are so far inferior to us that we must do whatever we can to separate them from us." Xavier, of course, would go on to found and become a prominent member of White X. Red X, however, is a different story entirely. Founded by a man named Xander(which, ironically enough, means "Defender of the People" in Greek), the group preaches the persecution of all monsters from the surface of the Earth. To speak a quote from Xander "They are all inferior to us and like a wildfire we shall consume the entirety of monster-kind, for only one species has the God-given right to till the soil and to walk the land, and they are humans." The organization consists of mostly middle-class people of white background who operate in small communities around the country. By the way, before I close this review, I would like to say that the Red in Red X stands for the blood that will need to be shed in order to receive peace.

 _I promised it would never reset didn't I? Wow that's so detailed! I really applaud you for the effort you put into it. It's really great! I love the idea of White X! That's cool!_

 **:**...WELL. Well well well. Well well welly well well. I WAS SCARED THIS WOULD HAPPEN. YOU'VE KILLED ME. I'm tearing up a little, thanks. (It's really fine I flipping love this story)

...Uh, I'm mostly over the shock now. *breathes*

Now I'm thinking. Sans is going to be confronted with the choice whether or not to let Frankie's parents die, and he's going to have to befriend Riley again. Things won't go the same.  
Or he'll sink into an even greater depression because Frankie and Riley won't remember him(?). Frisk is going to have to answer for this. Sans WON'T be happy.

Anyway, thanks for the feels! I'm excited (and scared) for the next chapter!

 _I promised it would never reset! Riley and Sans are going to have a nice long chat. It's gonna be good._

 **Cocoa the Wolf:** I hope that last sentence is a joke. I almost started CRYING.

 _Definitely not a joke. But definitely not real. All this pain- It was necessary as you'll soon see._

 **aduralove:** nononononononononoonno u broke me why! I so sad **and** Hold the phone. Is Red X strong enough to reset, and did so accidentally? Like what? Or did frisk reset and go back on your word? WHY TO ME WHY RESET WHYYYYYYYYYY

 _No reset, like I promised. Just an awful dream._

 **StarBee24:** EXCUSE ME! THAT LAST SENTENCE! WWWWWWHHHHHHAAAAAAATTTTTTT!:7Π

 _Shhhh... It's gonna be okay, my friend!_

 **nadiahardar:** N-no... ,no nonono nONONO NO!  
NO!  
C'mon c'mon c'mon c'mon COME ON  
SANS NOO!  
DONT DO THIS!  
Itsjustadream itsjustadream itsjustadream itsjustadream  
Noooooooo ;-;

This is all just a bad dream...

He's gonna have a HUGE panic attack!  
I can practically FEEL the angst in the next chapter, oh GOD! ;;-;;

The funny thing is that I felt it coming.  
It was just TOO good to be true ;-;  
He just can't have one peaceful night, can he?

I literally can't find anything else to say besides GREAT JOB ON MAKING YELL "GOD DAMN IT!" AT THE END THERE!  
Well, that and wow this story has me by my non-existent tail. Good freaking job 3

 _Good to come... And yes he had an ENORMOUS panic attack. Like... huge, and so did poor Riley! Ahhh so much sadness. :(_

 **meladi1:** Everything is soooo saaad *cries* and I'm getting more and more certain that the voice is Chara. Could be Flowey or Gaster too, though, but I'm leaning more towards Chara. Or. I could be internally wrong! XD looking forward to next chappy _

 _It's gonna be fine, I promise... also... interesting choice of guesses..._

 **Sky's Limit5:** "And then Sans wakes up in Snowdin"

*You are suddenly filled with dread

Please please pleasepleasepleaseplease tell me that it's just a nightmare Sans is having and that the world isn't really reset. Frisk wouldn't reset as they finally have their happy ending. Please let it just be a dream, I'm actually afraid of the next chapter now.

 _My dream is finally getting to the most ultimate happy ending and the beautiful, lengthy epilogue we have planned. Trust me. It's gonna be amazing._

 **anthonyabc268:** No no no please no u didn't oh God why ugh:ggghhhh u really like lesson with my emotions

 _I'm sorry, lol. *winces* it was pretty bad wasn't it? It's gonna be okay now. :)_

 **BlauerBlitz:** First of all: I really like your Story!  
I also have a OC named Jay but mine is a Cat/Human Hybrid and i found it real funny as i read the name!  
Jay:Yo! I really like to read the story as well,i wonder if this Sans from this Timeline will freak out about this sudden reset and i hope that everything is just a Dream and not an actual reset.  
Well,i hope that the next Chapter will come out soon! Goodbye for now!

Poor has to go trough all of this again...But the Question is who triggered the RESET? Because i dont think that Frisk would just reset the Timeline for nothing, so something must have happened OR somebody else can also reset OR this is just a bad dream or a bad joke!  
I hope that Riley and Frankie can remember this Timeline.  
Anyway:i am hyped for the next Chapter!

 _Aww! That's awesome. Don't worry, it was just a dream! I would never joke about resets! that would be horrible! D:_

 **Branchwing:** Oh.  
Oh.

Please don't tell me there was a reset. If it was a reset, I guess it kind of makes sense? If Frisk knew about the Red X stuff, they would probably reset to get away from it. But, they already got their happy ending, so why would they reset?

Anyways, this story is very good so far! Keep up the great work!

*Branchwing is filled with dread.

 _They didn't! Just a dream! :)_

 **AceLegends:**...you WOT?

Nah, it can't be a reset, can it? Either it's a false alarm that gets sans riled up, or there's a reset, but then he goes back to the surface and meets franky and Riley again... you DID tell us it wouldn't end with a reset, so if a reset really did happen, it's probably gonna serve to help sans get over his fear of another reset happening. Like, meets Riley again, she somehow remembers him, and the like. Just my speculation anyway, looking forward to seeing how sans will take this...

 _Well, it's gonna serve a purpose, that's for sure._

 **Guest:** WHATTHEFUCKOMFG

 _Exactly my thoughts. But it's okay now. lol_

 **iamdaraptor:** Okay. Y'know,because the attack was so sudden,I first thought it was a PTSD Red X nightmare. A situation found only in Scarf Mom's dreams. But NOPE. It's real. But we got a new character out of it so alright I guess...?

But,in other news. My reaction to the ending of the chapter: "What? Is- is that-? Oohhh SHIT! OH SHIT! SHITSHITSHITCRA-! Oh wait. They said they wouldn't ever pull a RESET. That the story was already sad enough as it is. Huh. It's probably just a nightmare."

"..."

"WELL WHADD'YA KNOW?!"

Yeah please don't scare me like that again.

 _Basically we're just trying to show you that Red X is getting worse, and worse and worse._

 _And yes- right on. Just another nightmare. But a bad, bad one._

 **Reader99:** What is the science behind sans's teleportation,also, was one of red x's victems frisk

 _Science? That is definitely a question for my cousin, though I think it's part of his magic. Honestly- I'm new enough to the Undertale fandom where I don't know enough about headcanons and actual canon to answer that question. lol_

 _And, nah! It was just a bad dream._

 **coolPastagal:** I know this poor skeleman did not just wake up in Snowdin. I know I don't like the snow, but Sans must despise it by now. ):

~I'm crying, plz help

 _I cried as me and my cousin wrote this chapter, it was too painful for our OTP. But the next one's gonna be good, so look forward to that._

 **Anonymous:** NOOOOONONONONONONONNONO HOW DARE YOU CRUSH MY SOUL IN THIS WAY OMG HOW COULD YOU THIS HAD BETTER BE A DREAM OR I SWEAR- but seriously, you did a fantastic job. You are a very talented writer. This is one of my favorite fanfics anD NOW IM DYING INSIDE HAHAHA

 _It's a dream. Thank you so much! I'm glad to hear it. I hope you liked this chapter. :)_

 **Guest:** THIS BETTER BE A DREAM!  
Awesome story tho.

 _Thanks! This is awesome! :)_

 **SileroftheWorld:** "And then Sans wakes up in Snowdin"  
NO. THIS IS NOT OKAY.  
Have mercy mysterious author person!  
*cries*

 _*mercy offered* Here ya go! The next chapter's gonna be good._

 **Someguy:** I sense a dunking coming up. While at the moment this is good and all, i wonder, what's the end goal? Getting rid of red x? Riley and sans getting married? I guess what im trying to say is, don't write yourself into a corner. Keep up the good work, ciou!

 _Yes, I totally get that! We were talking about that just the other day. We realized the other day we're on chapter thirty six! We need to get this moving! So, we've been working on our little outline and we're headed for the climax. I think the main goal is for Sans to be happy, and you know he can never be happy if he continues to think that a reset's coming. So... more on that later. lol_

 **trvlsize23:** Wait...what!? NOOOOOO! Good chapter. Excuse me for a sec. *cries in corner* (PS. I'm addicted to the song now.)

 _Thanks! The next one's gonna be good too. What did ya think of this one? (YAS. That song is gold.)_

 **Guest:**...Hold on... *Rereads the double date part* "Red X attack- Two monsters and a human dead".  
Two monsters and a human...  
Toriel, Asgore, and Frisk...

Please tell me I'm jumping to conclusions (but then the reset would make so much sense!)

 _No... it's okayyyyy. They not gone! Everyone's fine! :)_

 **ohgodohgodohgod:** *Silently praying its just a nightmare* Oh god no please no oh god why oh no if this is a nightmare I will be so happy if its real I destroy you why and if it is a real reset at least don't make it genocide or make Sans actually ask Frisk to never reset (Wait what if one of Frisk's friends died and they reset because of that) am I rambling too much? No, I'm not rambling too much. If this is a REAL reset I will throw my tablet across the room (Onto some pillows) so please.

Don't. Be. A. Real. Reset.  
Or I will send my OC, Serif, after you.

(By the way Serif is a harmless nerd)  
After all, If its a reset, I need to not destroy if I want things back to normal.

 _It's just a nightmare! It's okay. (A terrible, awful nightmare!) :(_

 **I guest as much:** Great update! Dang, Sans sounds like, maybe, from a certain perspective, he's PISSED. It must feel like the world is out to get him. Oh snap was the human that died frisk. That would be completely in-character and would explain the reset. Now I'm paranoid about what's going to happen next chapter! I can't wait for the next update!  
(Also, thank you for updating this story on a semi-frequent level, it's really nice.)

 _Yeah, he's pissed, and it's just gonna get worse- too. Ha! The whole human thing though- human and two monsters- that was totally an accident. Oh well..._

 **Asriel Dreemurr:** RED X IS BACK HOLY SHIT MOTHER OF FUCKING SHIT BITCH...oh yah I also have a theory I actually just read this one but I thought I came up with it what if CHARA is actually sans nagging voice of PHSD... What if he remembers those words from the geno route and his head is just repeating them... This would make sense since he has PHSD... Lastly why is he afraid of the reset he knows frisk has power over the timeline...unless... She somehow lost her determination... OMG DID FRISK LOOSE HER DETERMINATION BY LEAVING THE UNDERGROUND this also would make sense oh and yah is it bad I didn't get phased when red x attacked Riley...it seemed like I knew you wouldn't kill her off... Oh and DID SHE SIT ON A PILE OF SUGAR... CAUSE SHE HAS A SWEET ASS... Wtf is wrong with me... Lastly this chapter hit me emotionally cause the other day I saw this kid getting bullied by two other like I think 4 grraders so he is the comparison

2 fourth graders  
V.s.  
1 third grader...

Later that day... Fourth grader 1: shut the **** up you little ****.  
*asreil walks in*  
asriel(5th grader):put...him...down...  
Fourth grader:oh **** *4th grader runs away*

Man it felt great to do that... That's why this chapter hit me so hard maaan... Nice feels though ... Oh sh*t I just relised my school kids curse alot

 _I'm never sure what to say about some of this. But yes, Red X is back, well- always there. And they're getting more bold, and worse. And it's just gonna be bad._

 **Guest:** AHHHHHHHHhHHHHHH!WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS! IS FRISK THE DEAD HUMAN?! IS THAT WHY THERE WAS A RESET?! OR IS IT JUST A NIGHTMARE?! IDK WHICH OUTCOME I LIKE BETTER! I  
LOVE THIS STORY! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

 _Noo... it's okay! Nightmare! How'd you like this chapter!_

 _Aww! That's awesome!_

 **President Potato:** WHY MUST YOU LEAVE THE CHAPTER THERE?! HAS THERE BEEN A RESET? IS SANS JUST DREAMING?  
HAS SOMETHING GONE WRONG WITH THE TIMELINE? WHY MUST YOU END THERE? WHYYYYYYYYYY?

 _Dreams! It's okay! It was just a dream! :)_

 **Potato:** Potato Has Returned. I actually have an account but I don't want to log in, so anyways...

*A skeleton with glowing blue eyes and wearing a jacket like sans's except more of an icy blue color and a pair of jeans appears out of thin air)

Greetings. I am Teresa. But, Everyone just calls me cake. Anyways...You Reset It. You Reset EVERYTHING. Everything. You and Frisk have A LOT of explaining to do.

*The Skeleton waves their hand and Frisk appears, frozen in place*

Now. Explain.

Why. Did. You. Reset. *The Skeletons hands begin to glow an icy blue and the temperature drops to 0 Degrees*

*Frisk is too terrified to do anything*

*The Skeleton Freezes Frisk and turns to MH_C's Screen* It better not be a real reset. You WILL regret it.

 _Greetings, Teresa. We didn't reset it! It's gonna be okay... And Frisk is not at fault. All is well. :)_

 **DatOldDood:** NOOOOOOO PLZ NOT A RESET! AFTER ALL THIS FANGIRLING!  
NOOOO!

 _It's okay! More Fangirling-appropriate moments to come! :)_

 **JustaRandomGal:** *reads last line 100 times* NUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU ok calm your self gal... *deep breath* 2 things I see possible: Sans is just having a bad dream or 2: Frankie and Rily gain that ability and remember Sans orrrrrr 3 that's that and the fanfic is over but if that's the case NUUUUUUU WHAT WILL I READ?! Plz let it be a dream or I will come over there and punch Frisk for resetting XD

 _No! We're not done yet. And I'm gonna tell ya a big secret. We might be thinking about... writing a sequel... and... a third one too... maybe... hehehh..._

 **TheTrueBuckbuck2:** Have you ever heard the piano remix of Megalovania? I keep hearing it in my head during the sad parts.

Also, Snowdin better be a dream or a flashback. Please don't be a reset.

 _Have you ever heard the vocals for Megalovania, holy goodness. It makes me cry every time. Wows._

 _Dream! It's a dream! :D_

 **Guest:** WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO FRIKIN RED X  
I HONESTLY CAN NOT WAIT UNTIL SANS DUNKS THEM AGAIN  
POOR SCARF MOM

 _Yes! Dunking soon! :D_

 **THANKS ALL FOR THE REVIEWS! :D The next chapter's gonna be great!  
**

 **See ya then!**

 **-MH_C**


	37. Chapter 37: Resets

**Hello, All!**

 ** _My cousin and I both will be on vacation for a week, so there won't be another update until a little while after that. Until then, throw reviews at us! :D (yay! lol) We'll be back before you know it._ **

**Also, if you're not following us on tumblr find us at fractured-tale . tumblr . com** **We post drawings, and we're willing to accept one-shot requests or drawing requests if any of you are interested... ;)**

 **Speaking of requests, I think I recall someone saying in a review something along the lines of "Please don't write in detail the..." errr what's the word they used? I don't remember. Something about Sans and Riley, and lots of fun... *fun* times. I thought today that I don't remember replying to that review, and it's very important that I do because I think this should be cleared up. I do not write detailed "fun-times". Neither does my cousin. This is not a smut fic, this will never be a smut fic. No thanks. Zero thanks. Nope. Niet. No. Non. If fun-times are to be at all mentioned it will be very, very lightly implied. Nothing will _ever_ be in detail. This is rated T after all. Lol... now that that's over. I guess that also goes with one-shots, if you request one of them.**

 **Anywayssssss! Enjoy this little chapter and we shall returned soon!**

 **-mariahills_capsicle**

* * *

They spent most of the ride home in silence, Riley clinging tightly to Sans in the backseat. Papyrus didn't really say much of anything. He was obviously extremely relieved. Riley felt horrible he had witnessed all that. She couldn't start thinking about everything that happened. Oh if she'd only done this, if she hadn't let it get to her… it was awful.

They arrived home and Riley didn't want to move, or speak, but Sans gently pulled her into his arms- and even though he was shaking terribly, he carried her all the way upstairs to his bedroom. She could see in his expression that he felt so guilty- so awful. She hated it. She hated that he felt that way when she was the one who ruined everything. She should have been able to calm down.

"Hey… uh…." He gently set her on their bed, sitting next to her. "I am so… so… sorry…" there were tears at the corners of his eye sockets. "You deserve…. You deserve so much better than that… god, the things I said, Riley. I love you! I love you, you know that? I _do_ love you."

"I know. I know. I love you too. No, Sans, it's not your fault. I'm sorry. It's mine. I should have… I should have stayed calm."

"Riley, this is not your fault." Sans said firmly. "Look…. I have to… I have problems. You know that. Nightmares, flashbacks… it's hard to explain."

"Sans, I'm here for you." She gently took his hand.

"I... Riley. If I tell you about this it's going to be your problem too. A-a-and it's the ugly truth, Riley. I won't be sugarcoating anything because, well, there's nothing to sugarcoat. It's horrible... It's been torturing me for so long I- I…." He was shaking badly again, Riley gently squeezed his hand and took her free hand to wipe a tear away from his cheekbone.

"For you? I'm ready for anything. I want this to be my problem too, because I love you... and I don't care how horrible it is. Together, we can... we can get past this." She smiled, trying to encourage him.

"I love you... So so much... You'll stop me if it's too much to take in, right?" He frowned, his shaking slowing a little. She nodded slowly.

"Okay… yes."

He closed his eyes, breathing in deeply. "Heh… I don't know where to start…" He chuckled bitterly. "I guess the beginning works…?"

"I think that works." She smiled.

"O-ok. When I was a kid, my dad taught me about his work- but then something strange happened... This 'anomaly' started happening, altering time. Uhm. How do I explain it. Alright u-uh... Imagine a timeline. Take an important date and imagine everything you know reverting back to that exact date. But you have no knowledge of this and it seems like you're just living days you've never lived, when in reality, this could be the 3rd or 8th or 17th time you've been through Those exact days, but you wouldn't know. No one would. Well, my father was doing work and uh. Something went wrong and... Well, that's where I got the teleportation and all that, but it also came with... Remembering the timeline resetting. I remember everything, Riley. I remember the first time monsters came to the surface. I remember feeling the sun on my bones for the first time. I remember the stars. And then I woke up back underground. And I broke. Everything broke for me. I was no longer who I was and, I'm still not. "Punny, always smiling skeleton" is not me. I use humor to cope with the fact that it'll all reset eventually and I'll lose you. I'll lose you and Frankie and there's nothing I can do about it. It ALWAYS resets. And I... I... it hurts…" He gasped for breath, staring at her worriedly.

"I… I..." She stares up at him for a long moment. "I wouldn't remember this…. Oh Sans. Oh god, I'm sorry, that's so selfish. I...I don't know what to say…. But we've got to... we've got to hope, and, find the joy in these moments..."

He looked surprised, "Hope...? Joy...? I've tried so hard Riley... There's always a little voice in my head telling me that I can't get attached."

"Okay... Sans, new rule... I know this might not fix everything, but when you hear that voice I want you to look into my eyes. Okay? And I'll know, and this is what I'll do, alright?" She gently wrapped her arms around him and pulled him close, "And I'll say 'Everything's going to be okay. It's okay, and I love you… so so much.'" She kissed him quickly. He smiled, pulling her closer.

"I love you too." He kissed her again quickly. "So… so much."

"I know it won't fix everything… but…"

"Riley…. Thank you." He said, "You're… You're right. I have to focus on you, and Frankie… and… Papyrus… You're right." He smiled.

"If you ever hear the voice look at me, Sans. I'll know. I'm here to help you."

"I know…" He smiled brightly. "You're wonderful, you know that?"

She shook her head with a laugh. "I love you."

* * *

That week Sans helped Riley pack her things and move in with him. Despite the voice still nagging him, Sans found happiness in being with Riley. She made him smile. He couldn't imagine a day without her. Now she would always be with him. And she helped him. Whenever the voice pulled him too deeply into his thoughts, she was there. Now was her first spaghetti night as being officially part of the household. Sans watched fondly as she helped Frankie set the table.

"And Frisk and I are probably gonna play go fish, or something cool. Which is harder with someone who doesn't talk. But it's fun because Frisk is teaching me more sign language. I'm gonna be really good at it when I grow up. Really good at it."

"I bet you are." Riley laughed. Sans grinned, watching from the couch. _She'd make a good mom. Maybe someday… she will be Frankie's mom._ It seemed ludicrous to be thinking about 'someday', but Riley helped him focus. She helped him believe that maybe he did have a future. A future with _her_. It made him smile.

"Alphys said she and Undyne had an announcement." Riley smiled, sitting down on the sofa next to Sans. "I wonder what it its."

"I bet it has something to do with adopting." Frankie said, plopping down on the chair across from them. "They're gonna adopt right?"

"Oh yeah. Maybe it does!" Riley smiled.

Soon everyone arrived. Toriel and Asgore brought dessert- pie, and Alphys and Undyne brought a movie for later. Everyone gathered around the table for Papyrus' spaghetti. Sans sat next to Riley, gently taking her hand in his. She smiled up at him, squeezing his hand gently. As soon as everyone was served some spaghetti Undyne stood, clearing her throat.

"LISTEN UP! Alphys and I have an announcement!" She grinned.

"W-we said earlier th-that we're adopting." Alphys said.

"WELL! We're adopting a baby boy! He's the cutest little fish you'll ever see!" Undyne said.

Everyone began talking at once, offering up congratulations, and happy wishes for the new family.

"When do we get to meet him?" Riley gasped.

"As s-soon as all the p-paperwork is done." Alphys said.

"He's a brand new baby!" Undyne grinned.

"He's only a f-few months old." Alphys nodded. "And he n-never had a n-name. So Alphys and I are… l-looking into names now!"

"You get to name him? Aw! That's sweet, isn't that sweet, Sans?!" She nudged her boyfriend. Sans looked up quickly.

"Names? Uh… Yeah…" He had been staring at her again, like a lovesick puppy. He hated it when he was caught, but God… he loved looking at her. She was so wonderful, so beautiful, and he was so in love with her. With Undyne and Alphys talking about their new baby boy, Sans was wondering if maybe someday in their future he and Riley might have another child- a baby. The fear of a reset itched at the back of his mind. _Why in the world… would you want to add another loved one to your family only for them to be ripped away, Sans? You're so stupid, sometimes…_ The voice chuckled. _**Shut up. Shut up! I deserve to be happy! I deserve to have a wife, and kids, and… I deserve all that! Leave me alone!**_ _Oh Sans… I'll never leave you alone. You know I could never do that. Not until your mind is at rest. Not until you know for sure… that there will never be another reset. And you and I both know… that will never… ever happen._

* * *

It was Summer at last, so most days were lazy days. Frankie was glad to have free time with Sans, Papyrus, and Riley. Frisk came over to play as often as they could, and Frankie went over there when someone could walk him… but he still missed Wren. He tried to write a letter to her every week. Sometimes he could call her or talk to her on Skype. Today was Wednesday- his regular letter writing day. He quickly pulled out a sheet of yellow stationary and set it on his desk, pulling out his favorite black pen.

 _Dear Wren,_ Yes- his usual beginning.

 _How are you? I'm pretty great. Things are getting crazy here. I bet you've seen some of the news stories with Red X. It's really scary. Sometimes I do have bad nightmares, but it's okay. Dad still lets me come and sleep with him and Riley if it's really bad. And Riley sings. And when Riley sings Dad sings too, and I love it when Dad sings for me. It makes me feel much better. I know my dad will always be there to protect me now._

 _I also know he's scared._ Poor Sans hadn't let Frankie out of his sight since things had begun to get bad with Red X. He wouldn't even let Frankie walk down the road to Frisk's house without someone with him.

 _He's scared he'll lose me, scared he'll lose Riley. He's scared Red X is going to come and do to us what they've done to all the people we've seen on TV. Wren, he and I both know I have done nothing to offend them besides existing. I think more than anything he's scared for Riley. Because Riley…_ He pauses here, looking out his window at where Sans and Riley were sitting on the front porch. She was laughing, her scarf hanging on the railing- she hadn't worn a scarf in front of them in so long Frankie had forgotten what she looked like wearing it. Sans was grinning, as he took her hand, holding it gently. The way they looked at each other… it made Frankie smile. He returned to his letter

 _Because Riley is in love with Dad. So in love with him. He's scared that Red X will hurt her because of it. I think I am too. How could anyone hurt someone because they love? It's wrong. Wren, Red X might want to hurt you because we are friends. But don't worry. I won't let them. Just like my dad won't let them hurt Riley. If they try and hurt you Wren I'll… well… I won't let them._ He paused again, looking over at his backpack. School reminded him of Wren. It would be strange to go into fourth grade and not get to see her at lunch.

 _I miss you._

 _Someday when I get enough money I'm going to have my own jet plane. And I'll fly it to your house. I'll build us our own airport, back and forth from our houses. For now I guess we'll just have to pretend. But I'll see you soon, I know I will. We have to because we're best friends, right?_

 _Here's some neat news! The other day Alphys and Undyne announced that they're adopting a baby boy. So that's another boy in our family I guess. I can't wait to meet him. They say he's really cute. I wonder if my dad and Riley will ever have another kid. What do you think? It might be cool to be a big brother._

 _I drew a picture of Justice for you. I know you miss her. It's not as good as the real thing, but I hope you can hang it on your wall and remember her._

 _I can't wait to get your letter in the mail. It's always the bestest part of my day._

 _Your best friend,_

 _Frankie_

* * *

"Guess who got a B in history?!" Frankie grinned. Riley gasped.

"No! Really?!"

"Yeah! Dad!" Frankie sang, "I got a B in history!"

"Kiddo, that's great." Sans grinned at Riley.

"Thanks, Riley!" Frankie hugged her tightly and Riley grinned.

"Anytime, Frankie! I'm so proud of you!" She smiled.

"Me too. Wow! That's a big improvement from the last note I got." Sans chuckled. "This is great, kid. You did a good job."

"Thanks! I'm gonna go tell Uncle Paps." Frankie dashed off, up the stairs to find his Uncle.

"I don't think Papyrus is going to have any idea what that means." Sans grinned. "Not really. I hardly know what it means."

"Well… It's better than an F." Riley laughed.

"That's true." Sans grinned. "I'm proud of the kid. He did a good job…. He deserves better than what I can give him…"

"Sans! That's not true. You're a wonderful dad."

"I have issues, Ri. How can I help him with… things… when I can't help myself?"

"Baby, look at me." She smiled, gently taking his hand. "You may not think it, but you _do_ help him. He _loves_ you. And you… you _do_ help him." He stared at her for a moment, and sighed.

"Maybe you're right."

"I am right. Frankie wouldn't be better off anywhere else. You're it. You're his happy ending." She said, squeezing his hand gently.

"Am I _your_ happy ending?" He smiled.

"Oh yes…" She breathed. _I never imagined I'd get this happy ending…_ He grinned, and leaned forward to kiss her softly. It lasted only a moment, before he pulled away and frowned.

"Maybe I should get him something, sort of as a prize for his good work?"

"I think that's a great idea." Riley said. "What sort of prize?"

"Something to remember?" Sans frowned, "Not like a candy bar."

"We could go out for ice cream and you could let him pick something out at the toy store?" She smiled. "My mom let me and my sister do that once, when Dad was away…. We could only get little things, but it was fun. I remember it still. Even though I don't have my little stuffed animal anymore."

"That sounds like a good plan." Sans grinned. Frankie came rushing down the stairs again.

"I told the cats too! I know they don't know what it means, but they seemed happy."

"Aww! Good." Riley laughed.

"Heya, kiddo…" Sans said.

"Yeah?"

"I'm really proud of you, kid. You did a good job with your grades and I want to… get you something as a reward."

"Really?!" Frankie gasped.

"Really." Sans chuckled.

"What?" The skelechild grinned happily.

"We're gonna… go out for ice cream and then you can pick out a toy at the toy store."

"Really?!"

"Yes. Really, really!" Sans laughed.

"Ah, Dad, you're the best!" Frankie hugged Sans tightly and Riley grinned, mouthing: _I told you._

* * *

 **REVIEWS FOR CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE:**

 **Oppsie Dasi:** FRISK! YOU BROKE SANS! YOU'RE LUCKY RILEY AND PAPYRUS WERE ABLE TO MEND HIM (Well, as much as the can)

 _Frisk? Yes, maybe Frisk. And true. Riley is the key- like in this chapter. "Look me in the eyes and I'll know."_

 **CitrisDragon:** Well that was an emotional roller coaster. First you smash my soul by making me think a reset happened, then you glue it back together with him waking up, then you throw it against a wall with the flashback, then Riley comes along and heals it, then you run over it with a dump truck during the fight and finally piece it back together with the power of Sansley.  
Man I love this story. Like seriously. I know I gripe about it breaking my heart but I check my email frequently every three days because I love this so fricken much!

 _Oh gosh. Yes it was. Incredibly so. I'm so glad you like it this much. I'm sure you'll like the sequel too. Because there's no turning back. We've decided we gotta write about adult Frankie now._

 **Mr. Indigo:** Ah the healing powers of love! Love is probably the purest thing on our green Earth! In fact, to quote an actual section of the bible, which is 1 Corinthians 13:4-7, "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres."  
Also, glad you liked the origin story of everyone's least favorite hate group.

 _Nice quote! Yes, those are beautiful verses! I think love is what's really going to get Sans through all this. He loves Riley and Frankie and everyone else so much, he knows he needs to keep going._

 **TranscendentalNerd:** Why do you toy with my emotions like this ;-;

 _Well... mostly because it's fun...? I dunno. Writing emotional roller coaster's like that though is a good time._

 **StarCre8tion:** *Claps slowly*  
As an author I applaud you but... ugh the feels. (Is it weird for me to have wanted the Reset to happen and for Sans to kill himself? I know Frisk would've reset again immediately once they found out the Sans was dead, but is wrong for me to wish for Sans to be relieved of a little pain once in a while?) Also I see you've created a perfect opportunity for Sans to explain Resets, cause, uhh he's not gonna get off this one lightly.

 _Aww thanks! I was worried about that chapter just because it hurt so, SO bad to write. I mean, Sansley yelling at each other. It was so wrong. But, it fits. And yes, the feels augghhhh. And yeah, he explained them as best as he can. Riley's doing pretty well. Maybe she thinks it's just part of his PTSD._

 **aduralove:** thank you so much for the reassureancce. I feel so good knowing that they both love each other and it was all just a bad dream. Thank you.

 _Yeah! Gosh. I cannot tell you how hard it was to write all that chapter with them yelling at each other and Sans actually shouting that he doesn't love Riley. Holy crap. That was soooo unbelievably painful. Me and my cousin both wrote it together so we were kind of sitting there like... trying not to cry. But... it's all good now. :)_

 **:** Hhhhhhh... Ok, so I thought too hard and didn't think hard enough at the same time. After I posted the last review, I was like "huh. This has gotta be a dream. She promised earlier."

Anyway, this chapter. So much ANGST. (And is the long talk going to be about resets? Or is Sans going to be keeping that his and Frisk's little secret?) Great story, can't wait for the next chapter! Thank you!

 _Yeah... that chapter was just... too painful. Who says he and Frisk are the only ones that know about it._

 _No, Thank **you**! :D_

 **Ed's. Curious. Kitten:** TT_TT You missed my last comment... I'm glad everyone's back together! Keep it up!

 _Augh! Oh no! Sometimes that happens. I hate it. I hate missing comments. Thanks! :D_

 **Aleixi:** What, you didn't get Frankie involved and throw in a panic attack for him too finding out his dad took off on him? Y'know, go for the panic attack trifecta? Haha, kidding (kinda?) this chapter was so lovely. So full of angsty goodness. Honestly, I live for this kinda stuff in my fanfiction reading. I loved it and as always, look forward to more.

 _I almost did, but obviously this chapter was just way too stressful to begin with. Holy crap it was just utterly painful. But, yeah... I get that. Pain is good. :) There will most definitely 100% be more. Seriously. You're gonna love... the end of the next chapter... I probably shouldn't say that. I PROMISE YOU ALL A HAPPY ENDING. LOOK! WE'RE DOING A SEQUEL. IT'S GONNA BE GREAT. The next chapter's gonna be full of pain. At the end._

 **nadiahardar:** I really don't know what to say ; - ;  
He really needs to open up, maybe just tell them a simplyfied version of his situation?

Man this is by far the most saddest chapter of this fanfic ; - ;

BUT!  
Atleast it was a dream!

And...

This is beginning to turn into his nightmare :(  
Riley's moving in.  
The Red X is beginning to kill humans as well.

The Red X is really getting out of hand

. . .

But soon...

 _Well, he's told Riley. So that's a good thing. And Yes. Red X is becoming a problem. And oh yes. Definitely very... very... soon._

 **anthonyabc268:** Uuuuuuuuu genious that was perfect the emotion the detail great comback from the last chapter this one had me choking up

 _Aww! Same here. Writing it was not fun. Augh. Sansley should not fight. It's unnatural._

 **MachUPB:** Weeeeeeeellllll... those were some preeeeetttyyy sad episodes that Sans and Riley had. I'm glad things are starting to turn around for the better. Also, HOW MANY REVIEWS! They take up about a third of the chapter! I just finished reading them and realised that I forgot how the chapter ended. Then I scrolled up... and wrote this after. Your story is reeeeeeeaaaaaaaallllllyyyyyy popular. Which is good. 'Coz I like your story a lot. I look forward to the next chapter. :)

 _Oh. I did say that didn't I. Okay. So... there is one more thing. Sans is starting to get better._ _ **Something** __bad is going to happen, and_ _then_ _we're on our way to the climax. It's all good though. It's for the good of all monsters and humans trust me. I know! Holy goodness. So many reviews. I love it! It's so fun to hear from you all! :D_

 **UT Midnight Sky:** That's so sad! Why can't Sans just tell her? They both love each other very much! If only he told her the truth... :(

 _Voila! Yes they do. They love each other so much it's just too beautiful. Now he's told her._

 **JustARandomGal:** HALP THE INVISIBLE NINJAS ARE CUTTING INVISIBLE ONIONS rly tho I was crying so much I hope there's some way Sans can tell Rily and explain to her about the resets. Ps. This fanfic keeps getting more epic

 _Hehe! Aw! Sorry... I cried when I wrote it if that's any consolation._

 _Awesome! Thanks sooo much._

 **Branchwing:** Phew! I'm glad that it was just a dream. You had me worried there for a bit. But I'm glad everything turned out alright.

 _Yup! It's gonna be just fine. :)_

 **BlueCell:** MY HEART! WHY MUST YOU DO THIS TO ME! THIS WAS SO AMAZING! IM GLAD FRISK ISN'T DEAD! THANK YOU THIS IS AMAZING! AHHHHHHHHHHH!

 _Heheh... sorry...? and also, Thanks! I'm so glad you think so! :D_

 **I guest as much:** Ooooooooooohhhhhhhh Snap! What a turn of events! You sly dog and your hallucination tricksydoodles. Still, great update! That was an emotional roller coaster and I cannot wait to see what's coming next.

 _Thanks! :D It was definitely that- quite emotional. Next is gonna be awesome, epic, a little badass. And definitely a little sad._

 **Guest:** omg this is the best fan fic ever. I swear if every fan fic was like this the world would be a better place

 _Awww! Thanks so much. Hehe... after we read this review my cousin and I sat down and talked about all the different fanfics we would replace with Fractured if we could lol. Like, we listed all our most hated ships. Hey, don't judge everyone has them._

 **SilerofWorlds:** Phew. I need to recover from the emotional trauma I got from this one. As always, thanks for the new chapter!

 _Saaaameeee. Augh it hurt. Awesome! You are definitely welcome! :)_

 **trvlsize23:** Oh thank god! This chapter was amazing! You got me! Glad she didn't run away during the little argument. That would stink.

 _Yay! Thanks! I was this | | close to making her run, I swear to you. It would have been so bad though._

 **Someguy:** That got intense, and we're not even camping yet. When will sans tell people about the resets and shit? I hope frisk gets a guilt trip of a lifetime, once they find out. Well, anyway, keep up the great work, ciou!

 _Well, he just told Riley, so she should be able to help him now. He really needs to be able to work through his emotions and PTSD. She'll be able to help._

 **Asreil:** 1\. Half the time I knew wtf was happening  
I don't understand sans 1/2 the time  
 **3very important Why doesn't frisk have control of the timeline?** Did she loose her determination by leaving the underground? Why does sans worry I hope it all gets reset I mean if sans/frisk dies one should reset and they could meet Frankie/Riley again all they have to do is a true pascifist route lastly did you know when you "hit" sans I doesn't kill him do you know why?... He has ... Determination sans can survive more "hit " likes he says he can he can survive and keep up with CHARA wich by the way has the a strength to effortly crush bone to a dust with requires more than *drum role * 17 tons of force to crush 202 pounds of bone to dust the fact she completely destroyed 162 pounds of steel MOTHERFUCKING STEEL. So yah sans has determination I believe enough to survive and controler 1 single reset

 _Actually, I am sorry but what I bolded in your comment is so... so important. Because most people assume we assume Frisk does. But do they really? I mean. I dunno. I guess we'll find out. You have some interesting things to say here._

 **Old-Spicy:** ;-;  
*Old-Spicy is filled with the need to chuck his phone through the window.

Well then. Looks like my brain is going to whisk me away to another million fanfiction so when u update by the time I get back I'll be so lost in the story, Red X could kill Riley I'll be like "Who's Riley" Then get the need to test just how much pressure I can apply on my phone before it breaks. So just don't give me too much of a reason to do so. M'kay?

 _Don't be like Who's Riley! She's the best, that's who she is! M'kay. I promise. ... Yeah. Okay... Maybe... *winces*_

 **Anonymous:** I kind of wanted that drama to last a little longer... It was getting juicy...sorry, I just like those kind of things...

As long if it's just not like Flowey is Not a Very Good Life Coach...holy hell I cried so much during that you don't even know

 _I don't think it could have without Riley running and that would have been detrimental._

 **Anonymous:** I'm not into OC ships that get shipped with main characters but... I'll make an acception for you 'cause they are pretty adorable together

 _okay, let me tell you something. I hate OC ships generally. Mostly because I find (and generally I read a lot of Avengers fanfiction) It's the author's excuse to put **themselves** with the character. They fall into making the OC too relatable to themselves, almost like their twin. I think that's why OCs are so much harder to write. You have fic characters that have their personalities and looks laid out before you. OCs are blank slates. You know what I'm saying? And I'm not saying all OCxCharacter fanfics are awful- there are some great ones out there. I'm just saying it's difficult to get it right. Writing this with my cousin that's **impossible** to do, since we both made up Riley and we're both writing on this story. We can't make Riley like either of us, we keep each other in line. Riley is a separate person- all by herself. That's what makes this fun, writing it with my cousin and avoiding the pitfall of making my own character relatable only to myself. _

_I dunno. This could totally just be my own opinion. What turned you off of OC ships?_

 _So anyways. Thanks for reviewing. Your review showed me that at least we're on the right track with Riley. :)_

 **DatOldDood:** OMG! I was so freaked out that a reset was happening! Good job on this fanfic btw

 _Thanks! :D_

 **Guest:** I'm honestly so mad at Sans right now and I know it's that stupid voices fault but he had to go and LISTEN TO IT, THE ABSOLUTE WORST THING HE COULD DO. And I also know that it is probably part of his PTSD but when I read it I just decided to become angry soooo yeahhh.

Also I can't wait until we get back to Undyne and Alphys adopting a child. I'm literally soooooooooooo  
excited!

Great chapter as always!

 _It's the PTSD. It's really hard to deal with. He's going to overcome it with Riley. It's going to be okay._

 _Yay! Baby fish boy! Just wait til you guys meet him. He's gonna be so cute! :D_

 **Rosepines123:** Oh gosh... this chapter is so dramatic. So glad it was a dream.

Hehe... yeah... it was pretty crazy. :)

 **Anonymous:** Thank the lord... And Sansley is so cute in this chapter like omg! They're so perfect for eachother because they're both so broken. People like that can help one another. You are so brilliant! I don't ever want this fanfiction to end I love it so much 3

 _Awww! Yes! Sansley forever! :D_

 _Yeah, I definitely believe that they're gonna be helping one another for many years to come._

 **THANK YOU ALL SOOOOO MUCH for the amazing reviews! It's always sooooo FANTASTIC to hear from you!**

 **SEE YOU IN A WEEK AND A FEW DAYS! :DDD**

 **-MH_C**


	38. Chapter 38: Strike Out

**We're baaaacckkk! And we're going to try and get back to our regular updating schedule! :)** **Thanks for being patient.**

* * *

"You sure you wanna tag along…?" Sans asks Riley, wary of the news broadcast they'd seen the other day.

"Sans… It's just the park, and I know you'll protect me, right?" Riley smiles, holding his hand tightly. Sans smiles warily back, she had been helping him so much lately, with the episodes and flashbacks. Ever since he had that nightmare, they'd been much worse. He felt them everyday, sometimes even twice a day. But she was always there. Always there, and ready to help him. He's so grateful to her, and at this point, doesn't know what he'd do without her.

"Yeah. I'll protect you." _Always._ He turns to Frankie, "You ready to go, kiddo?"

"Yup!" Frankie grins up at Sans, holding onto his jacket. Sans focuses on the park, and suddenly they're there. Frankie runs for the swingset, grinning happily. Riley leads Sans over to a nearby bench, sitting close to him. Sans lets out a happy sigh, watching his son play on the playground. _Look how happy he is… Look how happy everyone is… wouldn't it be a shame if it reset, Sans?_  
Sans stiffens, ignoring the voice. He begins to feel fear overwhelm his soul. What if it did? What if that dream he had became a reality?

"Sans…?" Riley squeezes his hand. She must have felt him stiffen, "Is everything alright…?"

"Y-yeah. Fine." He slaps on a fake smile, "Don't worry 'bout it."

"You heard it again, didn't you…? The voice?" _Oh he hears me, alright. I just don't think he's listening…_

"Y-yeah… I did."

"Remember what I said I'd do when you heard it…?" She smiles, wrapping her arms around him, "Everything's gonna be okay. It's okay, and I love you… so, so much." She kisses him softly, pulling away moments later to rest her head on his shoulder. Sans smiles,  
"You're the best, you know that, Ri?"  
"You helped me, now it's my turn to help you. I love you." She grins.

"I love you too." He grins back.

* * *

Frankie still missed Wren, but he was grateful to Sans and Riley for trying to make him feel better about it all. Sans always offered to play monopoly with him in the afternoons, and Riley always read to him or took him to the park. Going to the park was always a nice distraction because he got to meet other kids and play with them for a little while. Today he met a little human boy who was a little shy, but really nice.

"Hey." Frankie grinned, sitting in the swing next to the one the little blond boy was sitting in.

"Hi!" The little boy smiled. "My name's Henry. What's your's?"

"Frankie." Frankie smiled.

"Your Mom's a human, huh?" Henry asked, pointing to Sans and Riley. Riley was leaning against Sans. They were holding hands, and whispering about something. They were smiling. It made Frankie grin.

"Riley's not my mom. Not yet…" _I wish I could call her mom. She'd be the best mom in the whole world._

"So your dad's girlfriend. That's really cool. My… my mom and dad don't like monsters I don't understand why. You know, Frankie, you and your family and all the other monsters I've met… they're so nice. You're all so nice."

"I… Thanks… You're really nice too."

"Do you wanna be friends?" Henry smiled.

"Yeah! You wanna play knights? I love knights. My mo- Riley's been reading me stories about King Arthur!"

"Sure! King Arthur's AWESOME!" Henry jumped off the swing and Frankie followed just as a tall older woman came rushing across the playground.

"Henry!"

"M-mom…!" Henry gasped.

"What are you doing?!"

"I'm playing with Frankie."

"Playing with… HENRY! What did I say about hanging around these… these freaks?"

"F-freaks…?" Henry choked, his green eyes filled with tears. "F-Frankie's my new friend!"

"Friend?! You can't be friends with these…. These monsters!" She said the word with such spite and it filled Frankie's soul with anger. A burning sensation filled Frankie.

"I'm not a freak!" He choked.

"Don't talk back to your superior, scum!" The woman slapped him, straight across his cheekbone.

"Mom! No!" Henry gasped, grabbing his mother's arm. Frankie felt tears threatening to fall.

"You leave my son alone, FREAK!"

"Woah! What the hell did you just say to my son?" Sans. Oh thank god for Sans. Frankie quickly wiped away a tear and looked up to see his father standing behind him. Riley set her hand on his shoulder. She was glaring at the woman.

"Did you hit him?!" Riley glared.

"What the hell does it matter to you?" The woman snapped.

"He's my son." Riley snapped.

" _Your_ son? Ha!" The woman laughed. "You know you don't belong with these freaks. It's disgusting."

"Lady, you better back off." Sans snarled.

"Don't you dare speak to me!"

"Frankie, come on. Lets go home." Riley frowned. Frankie rubbed his cheekbone, wiping away another tear. _It's not fair. Henry's so nice, and his mom hates me. Why?_

"You're gonna get in trouble for being with them, you silly girl. Red X doesn't take kindly to supporters. Especially not ones who…. _Involve_ themselves with freaks."

"Red X touches my girl…" Sans hissed, "Or my son…. You all are gonna have a bad time. And if I see you _touch_ him ever again- if I see you anywhere near him…"

"Henry. We're leaving."

"Good." Riley snapped. "So are we. Come on." The woman led Henry away and Frankie stared after his new friend sadly.

"She hit me."

"Shh… sweetheart." Riley knelt in front of him pulling him into her arms. Sans gently rested his hand his Frankie's shoulder.

"You can''t listen to anything they say Frankie."

"Riley… you… you called me… you said I was…" Frankie pulled away to look at her with a frown. "Do you love me, Riley, like…. Like I'm your kid?"

"Do I… Awww, Frankie of course I love you!"

"So… I… I can call you… I mean…. Do you…?"

"Frankie, I… I would love nothing more in the world than to call you my… son." She looked up at Sans with a big grin.

"R-really?! D-dad...is that alright? C-can I call Riley M-mom?" 6

"Of course!" Sans grinned. Frankie was so happy he could hardly keep his tears from rolling down his cheekbones.

"Riley, you'll… you'll be my mom?"

"I- of course!"

"M-my mom! I have a mom and a dad!" He hugged both Riley and Sans tightly. "I love you! I love you both!" He gasped.

"Oh Frankie!" Riley grinned. "We love you too, baby. So much."

* * *

In a matter of a few months Riley Elizabeth Malloy had been granted everything she had ever wished for. Someone loved her more than anything, she had a family, a son! Nothing could be more perfect. She had never imagined anything like this would happen. She had decided it would be a good idea to celebrate. She had finished signing the last of the adoption papers and today she was officially Frankie's mom. So, she was on her way to get ingredients to make a cake. Frankie's favorite was chocolate. _I'm a mom, it's so weird!_

She had just reached the corner where the park was when she decided to take the shortcut through the park. She'd get through the grocery store faster and it would be a nicer walk than along the street. It was when she was walking through a small forested area that ahead of her she saw a group of of people, waiting for her. When they saw her freeze in the middle of the path they approached her slowly.

"Riley Malloy." The tallest man, the leader, smiled.

"H-hello… can I h-help you?" She whispered.

"Oh, I think so." The man nodded. Behind him the five or six others sneered. They were all wearing the black jackets- a red X embroidered at the shoulder. _Oh god… Oh no._ Her hands balled into fists as she took a step back. From behind his back the man revealed a baseball bat. "Riley… Riley… Riley…" He took a step closer to her, and she backed away into the down the path, but they were surrounding her. "You know, Riley, I'm a patient, generous man. What's interesting though is that you've chosen to completely ignore my warnings. See, a few weeks ago we happened to spy you in the park. We thought, 'Maybe by now she's gotten it. Maybe by now… she understands that we're not fucking around."

She was trembling, but she was also furious. "I'm n-not afraid of you!"

He laughed, leaning in closer to her. "Fear is a wonderful thing, see fear enables power. You know what's so fascinating? There are so many, so many people afraid of us- humans even. So, dear, sweet Riley, you really should be afraid." She wanted to scream. She knew she was in danger, but, she was a human. She shouldn't have been afraid of them. Still, the headlines, the news reports they flashed before her eyes. " _Grocery Clerk murdered- Red X left at Scene of the Crime." "The Center for Monster-Supporters burned down yesterday, Red X left at the Scene of the Crime. Two humans, four monsters dead." "Red X will not hesitate to kill a human if it hurts a monster in the long run."_

"Oh, Riley. We were so generous. We gave you two warnings, and when we saw you in the park with that _thing_. We could hardly believe it. And you know what was more shocking?" She chose not to respond. A woman speaks up from behind the leader,

"She was holding _it's hand!"_ She laughs, and they all join in with her, taunting Riley.

"Are you in love with _it?!"_

"Does it _love you_ , Riley?"

"Following you around like a puppy follows its master-"

"HOW DARE YOU!" She screamed, swinging her hand and slapping the man straight across his cheek. He instantly retaliated, grabbing her chin.

"If you knew who you're defying, you wouldn't be so bold, bitch!" He hissed. He threw her backwards, she stumbled, but didn't fall. Tears were in her eyes, but she refused to let them fall. "Your _ignorant_ behavior pissed me off. I was ready to confront you about it, but there were those who swayed me. And you know what? I _am_ generous, Riley. So, I gave you a third warning. I think, it was pretty clear. 'Strike Three' it said." Her breathing was uneven, she was terrified. She wanted to run, but they were blocking the way. Her whole body was trembling, and still she stared at them defiantly.

"And where did we find you?" One of the other men snorted.

"You… were adopting that kid."

"' _I love you!'_ You said."

"You kissed that freak!" Another woman snarled.

"You ignored Strike three, Riley. Now, some of us were thinking, maybe she doesn't know much about baseball. After all, she does spend a lot of time in the library. Do you know what baseball is, Riley?" She once again chooses not to respond. "Okay, well I'll explain it to you. In baseball you work as a team, but you really rely on one guy to get the job done right. That would be the batter. The batter has to swing his bat," He held up the baseball bat, "And hit the ball that the pitcher throws."

"Are you catching all this, _sweetheart_?" Someone sneered. Riley looked up with a glare.  
"I think I've got it, thanks." She hissed.

"Anyways, you know what's great about baseball, Riley?" The leader grinned. "You see, the batter gets three chances to hit the ball. _Three._ So, if you can use your imagination for a little bit: The pitcher throws the first ball. And the batter, he misses. _Strike One._ So the pitcher gets the ball again, and throws again, and… imagine, the batter, he screws up _again. Strike Two._ And you know what? The batter's still okay, he's got one more chance, right? One more chance to fix his mistakes, to make it right. So the pitcher throws, and the ball flies, and the batter swings. And you know what? The batter _fucking misses._ You know what comes after two, Riley? _Strike Three._ Do you see where this is going?" She doesn't respond. "Okay, I'll explain it really simply for you, sweetheart. See, Riley, _you_ are the batter. And I, I am the pitcher. The balls, see, they're the warnings. I threw one ball- that was a little note, just for you. I thought it was pretty clear, and yet… somehow you seemed confused about it because the next week we saw you two going out for coffee. Mmm… Tsk! Tsk! The batter misses the ball, and _Strike One._ The pitcher, he shrugs it off. Oh well, we'll give the batter another ball. So the pitcher throws. See, the second warning, I thought it was very clear. The whole rock through the window thing- the spray paint. Unfortunately, once again, the batter misses the goddamn ball. You're still going to spaghetti dinner night? You're still going out to coffee? Was this when feelings developed? Was this when you realized you loved the freak? Poor Riley. _Strike Two._ The pitcher decides, maybe he'll give the batter a few moments to breathe. So, he lets the batter have a little time. You know, take it all in, figure out where she really belongs. But, the batter's determined to defy the pitcher. It's interesting… seeing you in that park… it really was the last straw. So… Final warning. The pitcher throws the ball. The batter swings, and the batter fucking misses. _Strike… Three."_

"Strike three…" Someone echoed. Riley shivered. She wanted to escape, but she didn't know how. She slipped her hand in her pocket, feeling her phone, tapping the on button. How could she do this by touch?

"This is where things get interesting. See, once a batter reaches strike three, they're out. They can't bat again, well, at least not till later. But for you, dear, sweet Riley. There is no 'later'. You're out, Riley. Out of this game. Out of time. Done." She was terrified now, frantically trying to type in those familiar numbers 911. But she couldn't see, she couldn't hear. How would they know where she was anyways.

The leader raised his bat, and swung with all his might. The metal slammed against her shoulder. She screamed as loud as she could- partly from pain, partly from panic. "Goodbye, Riley." He swung again, she tried to run, but someone grabbed her hair, and yanked her down to the bat swung again, feet kick. _I'm going to die._ She screamed again. She's in agony already. There's a crack in her chest, pain shoots through her.

"STOP! Please! Stop!" If they could hear her through their laughter, their shouting, they pretended not to. She managed to finally free her phone from her pocket. _Sans…_ Sans' quick dial number was a two. She jabbed at her screen with her thumb- hitting the one. _Calling: Voicemail._ "NO!"

"Trying to call for help, sweetie? I don't think so." Someone kicked her hand. The phone flew out of reach, and was trampled underfoot. Then, someone's foot, raised high, slammed down on top of her fingers. There was a terrible crunching sound in her hand, her fingers were mangled- twisted at odd angles. She screamed, tears streaming down her cheeks. The kicking resumed. Another foot slammed down on her leg, and agony like never before shot up her body. There was another crack in her ribs. Someone kicked her in the eye. Through her tears, she couldn't see much… her ears were ringing. There was blood… blood everywhere… Someone was kneeling by her, watching in amusement, drawing something in her blood… Then, something startled them. They ran, and god, she could hardly breath. It hurt… it hurt everywhere. When she could finally hear the sirens, so close, she shuddered, agony shooting through her. Her heart beat was slowing… _They're too late..._ She was slipping away, darkness engulfing her. She let it, if only to escape the pain. As she fell away from consciousness, all she was able to think about was Sans, singing softly, rocking Frankie to sleep. Sans easing her fears, Sans singing them both to sleep: _Please… don't take… my sunshine away…_

* * *

 **REVIEWS FOR CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN:**

 **Cocoa the Wolf:** Wait, the next chapter is the last chapter? Or have I misunderstood?

 _No, no no. This would be a very sad ending if it was. No. It's definitely not, I promise. We just get ahead of ourselves when we talk about the future chapters and so forth._

 **deadlyswarm:** alright things are calming down now...Sans and frisk need to have a lil discussion about anomalies and remembering resets...

 _I don't think it's calm anymore._

 **Ed's. Curious. Kitten:** I'm so glad that everyone's happy again! I'd love to hear stories of Undyne and Alphys getting used to the baby! I hope Wren is okay... Keep it up!

 _Oh boy. Sooo... just so you all know. This is probably the lowest it's gonna get. I think. At least in this one. Poor Riley. Poor Sans!_

 _Are you on tumblr. We could write little bonus scenes on tumblr as soon as Undyne and Alphys adopt the baby. :)_

 **MachUPB:** Yeah, had a feeling that the bad times weren't done despite what you said before. That's why I said 'starting to turn around for the better', rather than 'going to be much better now'.  
Riley's so great with children! Though, she does work at the school library (or should I say librarby), so there's that counting towards her experience and everything... :)  
I'm pretty sure I won't regret this later, but I forgive you for the bad times ahead in advance. If it's for the good of all humans and monsters... I predict Red X involvement.  
Have a nice vacation; I look forward to reading more when you both get back.

 _A bad time is definitely coming. Trust me. Sans is going to be super, super pissed._

 _You're regretting it, aren't you? Probably a lot._

 _Thanks! Vacation was awesome! :)_

 **Citris Dragon:** Wait wait wait. A sequel?! With adult Frankie?! I must have missed something somewhere.

 _Nah. You didn't miss anything. That might have been the first time I mentioned it. But after we're done with this story we're starting on a second one about Frankie as an adult. It's gonna be so cute. :D_

 **W0lfWarrior:** I really really do hope you nail the head in the coffin and reset because that would be a killer! Anyway! Great story! I can't wait for the update!

 _Reset?! Why would I do that when we have such a great twist planned with regards to that?! No. This way's much better, trust me._

 **nadiahardar:** AAAAAAAAH  
OK SO I'M REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO THE NEXT CHAPTER BUT NOT REALLY?  
I MEAN. I'M REALLY EXITED FOR THE FISH BABY BUT I'M ALSO TERRIFIED BECAUSE YOU SAID SOMETHING ABOUT SOMETHING BAD HAPPENING IN THE NEXT CHAPTER AND MY HEAD JUST HURTS BECAUSE OF HOW MANY HORRIBLE WAYS THIS COULD END?  
THE ONLY THINGS THAT COULD MEAN IS  
A: A PANIC ATTACK.  
B: RED X.  
OR  
C: BOTH!

UGH!  
THIS FIC IS GONNA GIVE ME A PANIC ATTACK WORSE THAN SANS'S.

"OH AND HAVE FuN oN yOuR vAcAtIoN!"

*Crawls back into fanfic hell.

 _Just out of curiosity, on a scale of one to ten where do you rate the end of this chapter on the "Bad Scale"?_

 _I hope not, if you panic you might not make it to the end, and the extended epilogue is going to be so worth it. :)_

 _Thanks! It was awesome!_

 **trvlsize23:** That close! Glad you didn't do it. RED X! YOU BETTER NOT RUIN THEIR ICE CREAM AFTERNOON! Cause I will scream...(for ice cream). That was an adorable chapter. Kudos! Kudos! Take care!

 _Yay! I'm glad it was adorable. How about this one. :P_

 **Crystel-the-Wolf:** Ermagerd this story has progressed so far while i was gone!  
Like, i dont remember when exactly i first stumbled onto this, but it was like 24 chapters long and now i found it again just browsing the Undertale Fanfic archive. (I internally screamed in happiness. a lot)

But a small criticism ( trust me i really dont like criticizing) :  
There have been a lot of lizard type monster OCs in this story. Wren, Iro, and now Jay. no offense but try to branch off more. maybe thro a few furries in idk

 _Hehe! Yeah, this story has gotten a lot longer than I think any of us anticipated._

 _Yeah! Wow. You're right... we gotta throw in some different types in there, huh? (When you say Wren you mean Ella, right? Wren's the human. Ella's the monster.)_

 _We need a cat monster, huh? (I love cats. We should do that.)_

 **iamdaraptor:** Hayoos! Sorry I wasn't able to post a review last chapter. Internet practically blinked out of existence for a few weeks. And I might get a few chapters later since I'm heading back to school (in my country summer starts in March). So yeah.

So anyway,I was DEATHLY scared during the fight. It just had so much tension that kept getting worse and worse and- You know,I think it can be best explained through this simple quote:"The wall had finally broken and they were letting lose at each other." -Walk the Line by FilthyMallards

This chapter,however,was a fluffaganza. So much fluff you can make a giant Fluffle Puff. I'm suffocating under a sea of fluffiness. Halp meh.

 _how about this chapter? *evil laugh*_

 _But Seriously, that fight was not fun to write at all! I hated it. It made me sad. This chapter also makes me sad._

 **SilerofWorlds:** I can't tell what type of person Frisk is. Everyone, including Sans, seems to adore them, but they seemed to be the cause of a lot of pain for Sans. So, is Frisk really as good as they seem, or something else entirely?

 _I guess you're gonna have to find out. Because. it is secret. And if I tell you, it will give away the twist at the end._

 **Guest:** Why can't sans just teleport frankie to wrens house

 _Okay, so... I think at least in our fanfic Sans has a limit as to how far he can teleport. Wren lives out of state, like across country practically. It's very far away. Which sucks. Sans' teleportation can't go that far._

 **Harris:** (I used to be anonymous but someone else started using the name so I changed it.) OMG YAS AHAHAHA! I was squealing and jumping around the entire time I read this chapter! I really want to congratulate you on this. This is by far the best fanfiction I've ever read. No fanfic has ever made me react like I'm reading my favorite book. AAAAGH I NEVER WANT IT TO END

 _Yeah we have quite a few anonymous... well, at least it seemed like it._

 _Awww! Thanks sooo much! That's always so nice to hear. Well, we have a sequel sort of planned. so when this one's over you can jump to that one. :)_

 **Guest:** Oh my goodness. Is there actually going to be a sequel? AAAAAAA  
FRANKIE IS GOING TO HAVE GROWN UP, AND HE'LL PROBABLY GET A FAMILY AND EVERYTHING!  
Wonder what'll happen to Sans and Riley. (lol I almost wrote Railing instead of Riley)

ANYWAY  
Great chapter! I can not wait to see the little baby fish! I hope he has like, yellow scales, so he kinda looks like Undyne because he's a fish, but also looks like Alphys because he would have yellow scales. And I can't wait to find out his name!  
Alphys and Undyne better finish that paperwork quick so I can see the child. xxx

 _Yes! Definitely. The Adventures of adult Frankie! He's gonna be such a cutie. I mean he is. But grown up tall skel. He's gonna be great. It's all gonna be great. I love it._

 _We have a bunch of fan art for Alphys and Undyne's baby. He has a fairly large roll in the sequel as well. Just because he's gonna be so awesome. :D_

 **Anonymous:** That's the reason I hate OC ships too. I mean if your going to make the OC just like you, just make it Character x Reader(which is another ship I hate for obvious reasons). Anyways, keep up the good work! :D

 _Exactlyyyy! lol_

 _Thanks! I hope you appreciated this chapter. My goodness._

 **I guest as much:** Great update! That was a nice, relatively feel-good chapter that really helped give a breather after all that action in the last update. I can't wait until, sometime in the future, Red X tries to attack Sans' family, and He just wipes the floor with them like he did in the alleyway. Also, I was looking back at some of the earlier chapters and I noticed that the amount of reviews you have been getting has just skyrocketed! Anyway, you have an awesome story and I can't wait for the next update!

 _Well... they've tried and completely succeeded. we'll see how Sans reacts when he finds out. (Hint- not well)_

 _I knowwww! We get so many reviews! It's **amazing**! We love hearing from all of you! _

**JustARandomGal:** *crawls out of homestuck hole in the wall* *huff* *puff* ok back to reading fanfiction *sees new part of fractured is out* YASSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

I have seen so many fanfics (my reading list is so long) and yet this is still better than all of them keep up the good work!

 _Awww! Thanks so much. :)_

 **Mr. Indigo:** I can't help but feel such happiness when Sans and Riley are in the same room together.  
Also, can't help but ask, is Sans ever going to ask Frisk about the Resets?

 _Yay! They're the best aren't they? The ultimate ship. The One OTP. 3_

 _How do you know he hasn't already?_

 **Woof123:** Damnnnnnnn, this really is a rollercoaster of emotions. Atleast Riley took the whole, NOTHING MATTERS CAUSE EVERTHING IS GONNA BE RESET well...See the thing is that Sans probably needs to confirm with Frisk that the resets are gonna stop for his mind to be at rest (unless he dosent know its frisk doing it).  
If the resets DID continue I think we could still get a happy ending out of it. Sans would obviously be sad but depending how long it'd been...I think he could almost consider it as a second life type of thing. Where he can redo and improve everything? Idk atleast accept it. Because as long as he enjoyed it, it dosent matter that it's over plus if he wants he can just do it again. Why does that mean that the past time dosent matter and the new one is pointless. Honestly it would be a almost beautiful way to end it. (Although I doubt that's gonna happen anytime soon lol). I just feel like it's got to happen eventually, even IF Frisk promises...dyeing of old age is a thing.  
Oh wow sorry for being depressing, I just loveeeee this story and get far too into it if you couldn't tell XD

 _Yeah, I promised no resets. I 100% mean it. So but, how come Frisk has the ability to reset. I think **that's** the question. _

_Awww, thanks! :D_

 **Old-Spicy:** Never expected to get on your reviews section.  
Thank You!  
Your story is the only story in all of fanfiction have I ever actually re-read chapters. You have the glorious honor of Old Spice to which your magnificent story has been re-read by me, and is the only story re-read by me.

*Old-Spicy is filled with the need to attempt to force the author to publish this story as a book.

do it. pls and thanks for promising.

 _Hey, I reply to all reviews! You are so welcome! :D_

 _Oh my gosh, that's awesome! Thanks so much. lol_

 **DatoldDood:** This fanfic is really the best fanfic I've read in A LONG TIME (quite possibly ever) and FRANKLIN IS SUCH A CINNAMON ROLL OMG! P.s- I suspect that the voice in sans's head is maybe chara? I don't know. Anyway, great chapter!

 _Yes! Thanks so much, that's awesome! Yes he is- Frankie's the best! 3_

 _I can't say anything about anything. Shhh! Secrets!_

 **DragonCrescent13:** Man, I am really sick of that malevolent voice in Sans' head. At first, I thought it was a flowey-like presence, but it just seems to be a manifestation of his own doubts and fears that won't go away until Sans works through them.

I also wonder why Sans has not confronted Frisk on the topic of resets. I am assuming that Frisk is still in control of that ability and the resets don't happen randomly (because that would be true hell on earth).

I love the Sansley couple so far. Both of them are damaged, but they are healing each other slowly. I do wish the next chapter will present a view into a family bonding time between Riley and Frankie. It could be kind of like a foreshadowing of what is to come! ;)

 _Good thoughts! Think good thoughts Sans!_

 _How do you know Sans hasn't confronted Frisk already? But also, where do we think Frisk gets the power to reset? Are humans really that powerful?_

 _Sansley is the best! Yes, they can heal each other. Ah yes. Here's the bonding. :)_

 **SalamenceRobot:** ok so i JUST read this entire series and HOLY HELL THIS IS AMAZING AND IM FLAILING ITS TOO CUTE AND FEELSY AND AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH *breaks*

 _Oh my gosh! Yay! I'm so glad you like it! That's awesome. :) IT's gonna get even better soon._

 **aduralove:** rereading storytime! **and:** Still, after many chapters, 'Just... Toast.' Being back dem cats!

 _I can't believe people are actually rereading chapters. That's amazing. And yes, I suppose I do have to bring back the cats. lol._

 **Asreil dreemurr:** Ok ok...you guys can yell at me all you want I played thruogh true pascifist a few more times and I relized frisk doesn't have controle over the timeline... The player does as seen by the secret flowey/asriel ending where he speaks to you about how frisk just wants to live her life and you ...YOU have the power to reset if you are...a bit unsatisfied you can reset *hense how the genocide happend* I just came upon this and I was a little shaken up by this... Frisk doesn't WANT to reset frisk doesn't WANT to do genocide it's because of us...we controle frisk doesn't have controle over the reset you do its um... A little hard to explain now but um...I know what you said about asriel nor chara were going to be in this fan fiction but I think I have already found them... You may have not noticed but I have found evidence of both in this fan fic so yah um...-asriel

 _That's actually a really fascinating point. Though I don't think it's the route we're going in the story. I never thought of it that way, that's some really good insight right there. :)_

 **THANK YOU ALL SOOO SOOOO MUCH. The amount of reviews is amazing! It's always such an amazing thing to hear from you and to hear what you think! Thank you for sticking with us this far. I hope you'll stick with us to the end! :)**

 **-MH_C**


	39. Chapter 39: Rage

Sans' phone rings. 'Riley the human is calling'. He chuckles, picking up,

"Heya, Ri!"

"...Hello?" A woman's voice replied, it certainly wasn't Riley's.

"Uh… hello? Where's Riley?"

"Are you… Sans?"

"Yup. uh, where's Riley?"

"This is nurse Adams at Mt. Ebott Hospital and I am sorry to inform you that Riley is in intensive care. You are listed as her emergency contact."

Sans' world stopped. Everything around him froze. He couldn't move. He couldn't breathe.

"Sir?"  
Sans drops the phone. He drops everything. All that mattered now was getting to the hospital. All that mattered now was getting to Riley. He quickly teleports over to the hospital, making haste as he rushes to the front desk. A woman sits there and smiles up at him,

"Hello and welcome to-"

"Riley."

"I'm sorry?"

"Where is Riley? Riley Malloy?"

"Sir, if you could fill out some-"

"Where is Riley?"  
"Sir. I'd like you to calm down."

" _Where is Riley?"_ He clenches his teeth. The woman doesn't hesitate to type something into her computer, seeing the look in his eyes.

"S-she was just admitted to intensive care, she'll be rushed in 20 minutes for surgery."

" _Where's intensive care?"_

"I'm afraid we cannot allow visitors in there, Sir. You will have to wait out here unt-"

" _Where's intensive care?!"_ Sans slams his fist on the counter, getting frustrated.

The woman picks up her phone, mumbling something quietly into the receiver. Sans could make out the word 'security'.

" _I'll find it myself."_ Sans growls, walking down a corridor, suddenly, a voice yells behind him,

"Hey- you. stop right there!" Sans doesn't even take a second glance back as he teleports away, further down the corridor. A sign that reads 'intensive care' hangs above him. He tries to pull open the double doors, but they're locked. The security guard is closing in. He teleports inside, watching with a smile as the security guard lets out a shocked gasp. The corridor was full of yelling and doctors rushing between patients. _Where's Riley. I have to find Riley. Where is she?_ He races down the hall, glancing in every window. _There._ He spots her, racing over to the window. _Oh god. Oh god is that… blood?_ Sans feels sick. She looks so broken…

"Can I help you, Sir?" A voice sounds behind him, he turns to see a doctor. Her nametag read 'Doctor Andrews'.

"I- I need to see her." Sans points at Riley, who was currently crowded by at least 6 nurses. _I love her so much… It's all my fault she's like this..._

"Sir, this is intensive care, we cannot allow-"

" _I NEED TO SEE HER!_ " He yells, startling Doctor Andrews. He races for the door, only to be restrained by the security guard he'd forgotten all about. He struggles, reaching for the door handle.

"Sir, you need to stop. I will not hesitate to use force." The security guard says, gasping once more as Sans eludes his grasp with a teleport. Sans grabs the door handle, the guard restrains him again.

 _" R."_ He elbows the security guard in the stomach. Hard. He doubles over, just as Sans feels a sharp pain shoot through his skull, and the world goes black.

* * *

" _Ri...ley…"_ Sans mumbles, everything feels fuzzy. He can't see. He's vaguely aware of… he's in a hospital bed. He tries to move. He's numb.

 _Where's Riley? Is she okay?_

Sans sits up, ignoring the pain in his skull. "Where's Riley? I need. I Need to see her- where's Riley?" He tries to get out of bed, his right hand is handcuffed to the edge. He struggles.

"Riley… I… oh god… Riley…" A wave of dizziness swept over him, he nearly passes out. Perhaps he should not have sat up that fast.

"You will see her. In time." A new voice says. A dark haired woman walked in. He vaguely remembers her. _Doctor Andrews._

"Where… is she?" sans says, his skull pounding.

"She's recovering. We had to rush her to surgery. She just got out an hour ago."

"Is she… alright?"

"She suffered serious blows to the head, and broke her left leg and 4 ribs. Internal bleeding also occurred in the lower abdomen where we assumed she was kicked several times by her assailants. Her hand was broken in six different places."

"...Kicked?" Sans could barely process what she was saying, but he felt rage building up inside him.

"We are assuming it has something to do with that organization- Red X. There was a… I am sorry if this is a little… disturbing… There was an X... Written in her blood..." _Of course it was 're going to pay for what they've done._ He feels rage build up in his soul, _Every last one of them is gonna have a bad time._

"Now then. I've informed the police of this, and they're sending a few officers down here for questioning as soon as Riley wakes up." Sans can't find words, he remembers Frankie, memories still vivid about how he was beaten by the Red X. He was healed now, but it still sent shivers through Sans' spine.

"Thank you." Sans says weakly, his soul aching to see Riley, but going mad seemed to have only gotten him into more trouble. _No. I have to remain calm. Riley will be okay._

* * *

After Sans had called them Frankie was in a rush to go to the hospital. Papyrus had grown suddenly, and a worryingly, quiet as he led Frankie to his car to start towards the hospital. "She… she's alright, right?" He had just gotten a mom again, and was he about to lose her? It terrified him.

"I AM SURE SHE'S ALRIGHT!" Papyrus nodded, starting his car. They sped towards the hospital, Frankie worrying all the way. When they made it there, he practically forgot about Papyrus, leaping out of the car and running towards the main entrance. Papyrus hurried behind him. Frankie ran straight up to the front desk.

"I'm here to see my Mom! She's really sick. Her name's Riley Malloy."

"Riley Malloy…" The nurse at the counter smiled. "Let's see what room she's in." Papyrus came up behind Frankie.

"IS RILEY ALRIGHT?!"

"I don't much about Ms. Malloy's condition. But she's open for family member visitors. So you two check out. She's in room 245."

"Thank you!" Frankie gasped, grabbing Papyrus' hand and pulling him towards an elevator. He was so scared for his mom, he couldn't lose her. He couldn't.

"IT'S ALRIGHT, FRANKIE, RILEY'S GOING TO BE JUST FINE!"

"I...I…" He doesn't know what to say. He's so scared. Papyrus helps him find room 245 and Frankie knocks quickly. There's a long, terrible pause before a very weak voice whispers,

"C-co...me in…" Frankie quickly opens the door.

"M-mom?" He comes around the curtain to find her laying in bed. She's so bandaged he could hardly recognize her except for her green eyes (though one was swollen almost shut), and her long red curls.

"Fr...Fra…"

"Shh! It's okay!" He gasps, rushing to her side. One of her hands was bandaged all the way. The other was fine, though bruised, and when he took it in his own hand her familiar warmth was lacking. "M-Mom…?" Riley smiled, squeezing his hand very gently. _Oh… she's so hurt. So weak…_ The thought of still being able to lose her was so terrifying.

"RILEY! ARE YOU ALRIGHT?!" Papyrus gasped, rushing into the room.

"Shhh…" Frankie breathed. Papyrus' eyes widened, seeing Riley's bandages and casts.

"I…. I….I...m… F-fi...ne…." She sighed.

"N-no." Frankie shook his head, trying to hide his tears. "N-no…. You're not… I...Mom!"

"Sh…" She smiled again.

"Riley." Sans frowned. He had been quiet the whole time, sitting in a chair next to her bed. When Frankie looked up at him he was a little startled to see the lack of emotion in his father's face. Sans was…. Hurting…? Of course he was. But… it was a different sort of hurt. Frankie couldn't be sure what he saw…. "Try not to talk, p-please…?" Riley looked over at Sans and barely nodded once.

"D-dad… Dad!" Frankie quickly pulled Sans into a hug, trying to hid his tears by burying his face in Sans' coat.

"H-hey, kid… it's… It'll… It'll be fine. Mom's gonna… she's gonna… she'll be…"

"SHE WILL GET BETTER!" Papyrus supplied.

"Y-yeah." Sans nodded. Riley smiled again. Frankie pulled away from his Dad and gently took his Mom's hand again.

"Don't worry Mom! D-don't worry. You're gonna get better, and I'll help you! Whatever you need! I'll help you." Frankie smiled, wiping away his tears quickly.

"I….Lo…v…"

"I love you too." Frankie grinned. "D-do you need anything? Anything at all?"

"C… N-not… N-no… f-food…"

"Not hungry. Thirsty?" Frankie frowned. Riley barely shook her head.

"What… Wh-what about… something nice? I c-could go get you something nice?" She smiled, gently squeezing his hand and nodding once. "Okay! I'll go get you something nice!" Frankie smiled. "Uncle Paps! L-lets go get something nice for mom!"

"OKAY! MAYBE SOME FLOWERS! OOH! I KNOW! SPAGHETTIIII!"

"Not food. She's not hungry."

"NONSENSE. SPAGHETTI WILL MAKE HER FEEL MUCH BETTER!" Frankie sighed, taking his Uncle's hand.

"We'll get you something so nice, Mom. We'll be right back!" And then he rushes out of the room.

* * *

Sans looks over at Riley. She was so broken. And it was all his fault. He takes her hand, squeezing gently. Why did this have to happen to her? Why couldn't it have been him?

"I'm… So.. So sorry, Riley… I should have been there to protect you…" He feels her squeeze his hand, she shakes her head slowly.

"N….no…. S-Sa...ns…" It hurts him to see her like this. He can hardly stand it. _His_ Riley… like _this_?

"I should have been there. I could have protected you and.. Now…" He looks down, _Red X will pay for this. They'll pay for hurting Riley, for hurting my son._ He's so filled with rage, he's shaking now. He wants revenge. He wants justice.

"Sa….ns… No...n-no. Not… y-y...your …." She coughs, grimacing at a spasm of pain, "f-f-fault…"

"It's _all_ my fault Ri… I'm the reason you got into this… damn mess in the first place…"

"N-no! No! N-" She coughs again, this time longer, and it takes her a while to breath through the pain.

"Hey… Hey, don't try to talk... " He frowns. _I will avenge you._ "I… need to go do something, alright? I… It shouldn't take long…"

"W-wait…" Her voice is hoarse, she tries reaching for his hand- but it hurts too much to move. He takes her hand, squeezing gently,

"I'll be back… alright?" He wants nothing more than to destroy the scum that hurt her like this.

"W...wait…" She holds his hand as tightly as she can- which is not tightly at all. "P...please… h-hold…. Me…?" He frowns, gently pressing his forehead against hers,  
"I'm going to make things right… Don't worry."

"P….ple...pl...plea...se…?" She breathes, tears in her eyes.

"A-alright… I'll… I'll hold you…" he carefully wraps his arms around her, gently, he's so scared he'll hurt her even more than he already did.

"Sa...Sa...ns….?" She cries into his shoulder, holding his hand still.

"Y-yeah, Ri?" He breathes, holding her close.

"I… lo...lo...I lo...ve… y-you…" She sighs.

"I love you too… so much…"

"Pl...ple...ase… pr...o..mise me…." She coughs, trying to catch her breath.

"Yeah… anything, Ri… I'll promise you anything…" He squeezes her hand gently.

"D...don't… D-don't… d...do…" She gasps, grimacing. "D...don't do… any...th...ing… y-you'll re...gret…"  
"I… I won't…" He won't regret destroying every last member of Red X.

"Sa...ns… y-you… you… ca-can't… ple...ase… they're not… they… Sa...ns… they're n-not… worth it…" He pulls away from her gently, kissing her cheek.  
"I'll make things right. I'll be… right back…" He smiles, getting to his feet.

"I…. lo...ve… you…" She sighs.

"I love you too." He looks back at her one more time, before turning out the door, rage fueling his steps.

* * *

 **REVIEWS FOR CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE:**

 **Cocoa the Wolf:** So I was just reading through the reviews at the end of the chapter and  
THERE'S GONNA BE A TWIST  
FIRST YOU MAKE ME FLIP OUT BECAUSE SANSLEY WAS NEVER HAPPENING  
AND THEN THE RESET CLIFFHANGER  
AND THEN THE SANSLEY FIGHT  
AND NOW JUST  
I DON'T THINK MY HEART CAN TAKE ANYMORE  
Have I misunderstood again I'm really sorry

 _I'm not sure what you would have misunderstood. No, Riley's not going to die. That's not the twist. The Twist is way later._

 **Ed's. Curious. Kitten:** *exasperated sputtering* WHAT?!  
No, I don't have Tumblr, but if you message me a link, I'll check the page periodically. Keep it up!

 _It's all gonna end alright._

 _Sorry, I totally forgot you said that. I'll message you a link now. hehe._

 **DragonCrescent13:** Oh God, cliffhangers. My mortal enemy.

This Red X group needs to get dunked on, asap. I hope Riley is alright! Stay determined!

 _Truth. And yes, they do. Soon._

 **anthonyabc168:** I'm crying right now I'm scared of what's gonna happen please don't break my heart anymore I don't know how much i can take

 _I am sorry. It's gonna be okay. This leads to good things! :)_

 **deadlyswarm:** Ok the conversation can fucking wait, bad time mode engage!

Secret ninja style: conjure: wrath of a thousand shippers.

 _Definitely time for a bad time methinks._

 **Autumn R Rivers:** Aw! This chapter's so happy! I'm so glad! I can't believe riley adopted frankie! That's so cute! Yay!  
...wait.  
...is that...?  
Oh god no.  
The feELS ARE COMIG GET TO THE LIFEBOATS WOMEN AND CHILDREN FIRST AJFUSJVSJWKUDHAJ  
*drowns in an ocean of my own tears*

 _I am sorry. (not really) But it's gonna be good._

 **aduralove:** 1 word: WHYYYYYYYYYYYYYY! So they is gonna be another boat of pain? Hip hop horay. Just, update normally, if not quicker so I don't die of waiting. lol and ye. Still, "Just... Toast."

 _Oops. Sorry, for not updating as usual. Summer is a little less scheduled. But...we will try and update as frequently as possible._

 **:**...flip. FLIP NO Sans HAS to come!  
He has to come and dunk them! He's going to! Right!  
Oh noooo... He's going to be so mad. I guess we'll find out why he didn't answer the first time next... Dang. When I read all the happy stuff Riley was thinking I thought "welp, here it comes.

 _Well, no he doesn't. But there is going to be a bad time, that's for sure._

 **DezyBear:** COME ON! THAT'S MEAN! PLEASE UPDATE SOON! I LOVE THIS STORY SO MUCH!

 _:( More to come soon!_

 **coolPastagal:** IM CRYING SO HARD RIGHT NOW

 _I was too, when I wrote it._

 **Midnightsalem:** YOU ARE A CRULE PERSON! Just how... how can you do this to us... (p.s this is amazing like always tho)

 _I am almost sorry, but that was pretty bad. It's for the good of all, though. Thanks!_

 **oracleks44:** Well, Sans is gonna kill all these people.

 _Probably._

 **Sky's Limit5:** You stated already that there was going to be a happy ending for this story, so we all know Riley (poor girl, I want to give her a hug so bad! When she gets better, of course) isn't going to die. But the Red X is definitely going to have a Bad Time in the future, given how pissed he's gonna be.

Though I have a question. Red X hurt Frankie once before, and Sans defended him by swatting around all 6 people like flies, then breaking Brendan's dad's ribs. Regardless of the fact that they didn't know Sans's name, wouldn't at least what he looks like (unless he doesn't wear the same outfit every day now) be known by the group after being passed through the "grapevine"? Then again, this would counter whatever happens to the group in the future if they knew him somewhat, or at the very least make him even MORE of a target.

 _Good point. I think they figure that if they hurt the people around him they'll break him. Which of course, is true. But... things have changed. It's now not going to take a whole genocide to get Sans moving. Red X is going to learn really quickly that Sans isn't someone to mess with._

 **CitrisDragon:** Riley had better not be dead! I will cry if she's dead!

 _Sans would die if she were dead. So... No. Definitely not. She's too precious. Sansley is too precious._

 **MachUPB:** Weeeeeellllll... still no regrets. I'm sure everything will be fine. My rational is smothering my emotions for once, probably so that I don't freak out and slam my face into something. I already fractured (heh) my finger a few days ago, I don't need any more injuries. And after what the voice said this chapter, my theories on it being a certain character minus cter. Cool but sad chapter. I look forward to the next one.

 _You fractured your finger? Ouch! Well... we'll have to see about the voice. And... how'd you like this chapter?_

 **Anonymous:** I hope Riles is ok... I HOPE ALL OF THE RED X MEMBERS DIE A HORIBBLE GRUESOME DEATH AND BURN IN THE DEPTHS OF HELL FOR ALL OF ETERITY!

 _Riles! :) That's funny- Riles is like... our... little name for Riley. Riles and Snas. Sniles._

 _They definitely all deserve death._

 **Random Person:** I drew a picture of Riley and Frankie but I don't have a Tumblr :,(

 _If you want you can send us your pictures in an email. (disregard the spaces)_

 _timelord1122 gmail. com_

 _Let us know if you'd like us to post them on tumblr in your name!_

 **iamdaraptor:** My first thought while reading this:  
*kicks down the door*  
SANS HOLY FUCK!

lol. I didn't even stop to think if Frankie was in the house just that one thing. I almost don't feel like pointing out how sad this is cuz of that amazing mental picture. XD

But if you want my opinion on this chapter,it's a lot like my opinion for chapter 33.

Also,dude I'm not supposed to be reading fanfiction rn why must you make me smile like a dork with skelechild fluff and almost give me away. (yep. responsible person right here)

 _I'm sorry. Sans was not there. Now some people are gonna have a bad time._

 _Hey, we're all in that boat of balancing priorities and responsibilities, am I right?_

 **asreil:** Thx for your imply ik it was hard to write though the entire chapter im like ohhhhhhhhh welp fuck this shit im out *plus I really want to send you like my 3 drawings of fanfic of bad time frankie oh god... I think you can find one on my tumblr asrielthegamer

Hoi

Hoi

 _Hello, Asreil! We've added a submission box to our tumblr blog so you can submit your art there! and once we approve it, it will be posted on our blog! Excited to see all your stuff! :D_

 **MidnightSky:** You have a tendency to make us laugh and have fun with Riley and Sans, then break our hearts in a different chapter, don't cha?

 _I guess so. D: It'll get better I promise._

 **Guest:** ok ok ok HOW HOW THIS IS TOO CUTE AHHHHHHHHHHHHH AND TOO SAD WHY YOU PEOPLE ARE AS BAD AS CQ WITH THE FEELS TRAIN!

 _Yes! Mom!Riley and... Hurt!Riley. Fun times._

 **I guest as much:** Welp, you dun screwed up Red X. You're gone, done, dead, dunzo, screwed, out of time, to put it bluntly, you've made a very big mistake. Anyway, awesome update! I can't wait to see how Sans reacts.

 _Truth. Very, very big mistake._

 **Guest:** WHHHHYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYTYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!

 _Why not?_

 **Guest:** No no no no no no no no no no no please no  
IS RILEY GOING TO BE OKAY?!  
I can't imagine how Sans is going to react, but I think I might have figured out how Frankie will:  
So I think that Sans will either not let Frankie see her at all (unlikely) or there will be lots of tears from both Frankie and Sans.  
Great (but sad) Chapter! :'(

 _She gonna be fine. Poor babies. Everything's so sad._

 **DatOldDood:** Oh...my...god... NOOO RED X NEEDS TO HAVE A BAD TIME! Poor Riley! (Also that woman at the park needs a bad time too) Anyway, Great chapter, as usual!

 _They're so gonna have a bad time. Thanks!_

 **Ummm:** Oh my god did you really just do that  
You did, didn't you? Yep. You did. Hm. Okay. Did you seriously just kill Riley. Okay. Okay. You might have. Probably did. Might not have. I hope not. . Fudge. Did You. Make That. Happen. Okay. I will probably smash my tablet if you killed Riley. Who even FINDS her like that? I hope its not Frisk. Or Frankie. That would be bad. Will Gaster show up sometime? Or Asriel? Was Asgore in this...I can't remember. Oh yeah. Henry should show up more.

I like Henry.

He's adorable.

Welp.

Peace out,  
Rainbow Trout.

 _Sorry, I had to condense your text for this. So... yes. Red X definitely needs a bad time. Gaster... secret. Asriel... secret. Asgore is definitely in this. And Henry, definitely should show up more. He is pretty adorable! :) Thanks for the review!_

 **Mr. Indigo:** Damn you Red X! Sans! SAVE RILEY! Don't let her die!

 _No death. No death._

 **RosePines123:** NO! WHY WOULD YOU DO THIS TO RILEY! WE ALL LOVED HER!

 _Shhhh... it's gonna be okay._

 **JustARandomGal:** OH MY GOD IF THEY HURT RILEY I HOPE SANS KILLS THEM ALL OH MY FRAKING GOD I HATE RED X SO MUCH (continues to yell out threats to red x for a while)  
Ok... I think I'm good...  
I read so many other fanfics as I was waiting for this and it never once slipped my mind. I guess the epicness of this fic is so high it just outdoes all others! Keep up the amazing work! :)

 _It's gonna be okay. Awww! Thanks so much!_

 **Harris:** I was so happy... And then... You took it away... ;-; But it's really cool that Riley is Frankie's mom now! I know that you wouldn't dare kill Riley, you would have SO many people out for your head. However, after an attack like that, I can only assume that she's severely injured or even comatose! Thanks for a wonderful, well written chapter, even if it crushes my heart :)

 _Yes! Riley is gonna be the best mom everrr! She's definitely severely injured. Aw! You are definitely welcome!_

 **Gazzy:** Hey, out of curiosity, where did you get the name Ella? I'm sorry to ask, it's just a bit of an uncommon name... And it's also my name XD (also great chapter)

 _Well, Ella is one of my favorite names! I've always admired it. I think it's really pretty. I just kind of... thought it up for the story really fast. It was the first thing that came to mind because I really like it. :) That's cool that it's your name!_

 _Thanks!_

 **THANK YOU ALL FOR THE REVIEWS! SEE YOU ON THE NEXT CHAPTER!**

 **-MH_C**


	40. Chapter 40: Get Dunked On

Sans storms out of the hospital, letting his anger take over. News reports showed that Red X might have a base somewhere in the outskirts of town. There were several abandoned warehouses out there. Perfect for scum like them.

The enraged skeleton shortcuts to one of the possible locations, fists clenched. The warehouse was covered in dust and rust, the roof had caved in on itself in some parts. No way anyone was here. He moves on to the next place. It was similar to the first, almost completely uninhabitable, the air smelled of gasoline and metal.  
Finally, the last location held true. Sans was about to leave this one, but something caught his eye: A large red X spraypainted on a rusty door. He grits his teeth, peering in through the dirt coated glass of a nearby window. It appears that Red X was holding a meeting today. Perfect.

Around a dimly lit table sat around fifteen people, both men and women, wearing jackets emblazoned with a bright red X. At the end of the table stood someone who Sans was all too familiar with. He recognized the man he had previously encountered- the man who hurt Frankie. His rage intensifies. They're dead. All of them.  
Sans doesn't hesitate. He knocks twice on the door, the room falls silent. A woman looks at the leader, and the leader nods. The woman gets up, walking over to the door slowly,  
"Who is it?"  
"Knock, knock."  
"Excuse me?"  
"Knock, Knock."  
"Who's… there?"

"You."  
"You… who?"  
"You… ar d." Sans kicks the door open, his left eye flashing rapidly between blue and yellow. Everyone at the table stands, the woman backs away. The leader grins,  
"Nice to see you again, Skeleton… I uh… ran into your girlfriend recently. How's she doing?" Sans tilts his skull, cracking his neck vertebrae.  
"You made a mistake… a big, big mistake…" The leader laughs,  
"What are you going to do? Kill me? Do you think that's the solution to this?" The skeleton glares, fists clenched.  
"You're damn right you're gonna die. If you think for one second i'm gonna let a fuckin' piece of scum like you roam the street… heh. Well. You got another thing comin'." Sans grins maniacally. This was justice. This was right.

"So be it. I'd die if it makes you an example." The leader grins widely, holding his arms out, "Come and do it then. Kill me." This is what he wants, isn't it? He wants to die. He wants me to kill him so the rest of the world can see how horrible monsters actually are? I can't kill him… can I? But… It's for Riley. It's all my fault that she's hurt and… I need to avenge her…  
Sans summons bones, both blue and white, they swirl around him. The leader nods, and the members of Red X rush forward. He launches the attack, few of them manage to dodge the onslaught of bones. He raises a palm, everyone's souls turn blue as he slams them on the floor. Sans holds them down so he can approach leader, who, much to Sans' pleasure, looks a little less keen on being killed. Sans grins,  
"Shouldn't have touched my family." He glares, "I won't kill you… But i'm going to make you feel the pain you made my girlfriend feel." With that, Sans clenches a fist, charging forward, he punches the leader in the nose, hard. blood spurts out of it, coating his fist in crimson blood. The leader recoils, holding a hand to his nose, trying to stop the blood. The human didn't seem to be doing anything to fight back, letting Sans hit him, blow after blow.

The leader falls to his knees, spitting blood at Sans. He laughs.

"You're an… idiot… you're p-proving us right! Hah! You-" Sans hits him again,

"Shut up. You're wrong. Monsters aren't bad, we did nothing wrong-"  
"And is that what th-this is? 'Nothing wrong'?" the leader laughs, "If you kill me… e-everyone will think monsters are bad…" Sans strikes again, he falls to his hands and knees. I can't kill him. He's right.

"You f-fuckin' monster! That's what you are! You're a fucking monster!" The bloodied human laughs, looking up at Sans with wild eyes, blood oozing from cuts in his forehead and cheeks. I can't kill him… but I can do this. Sans unclenches his fists, digging into his phone, he dials three familiar numbers. The man looks up,

"W-what are you.." He coughs, "D-doing…?"

Sans grins. He wasn't expecting me to do this. Sans calls the police.  
"I can't kill you, you're right." Sans shrugs, "But I can sure as hell get you in a shit ton of trouble."

The police arrive on the scene fifteen minutes later. As Red X was taken away, and the police interview Sans, he sits on the curb of the sidewalk, taking a breather. Miserable. You're a worthless, pitiful idiot, Sans. Riley could have died. You didn't protect her when she needed it, and now you couldn't end Red X for good. Worthless coward. I couldn't have. It wouldn't have helped to kill anyone. But now you're going to have to live with the fact that Red X controlled your actions.

The voice is right. Guilt consumes his soul- Red X, although defeated, was victorious. They controlled him. Coward. I'm a coward. He gets to his feet, trying to push away his negative feelings, but it doesn't work. He knows Riley's worried, so he decides to head back to the hospital.

* * *

It was a long while before Sans returned. She knew where he had gone and she was so scared- scared he had done something awful, or that he had been hurt. The thoughts plagued her so she couldn't fall asleep, and she was up late into the night. She didn't know what time it was when he stepped into the room. His face, his coat- they were splattered with blood. His expression was dark, he was trembling.

"S...Sans…" She breathed. He didn't move from the doorway for a long moment, trying to steady his breathing. She could see guilt and hate in his eyes, not towards her but towards himself. And after a few, terrifying moments of silence, tears formed and he began to sob, shaking, moving towards her slowly.

"I… I… I… I c-couldn't kill th-them! I c-couldn't!"

"Shhh…." She whispered, gently pulling him, with her good arm, against her. "Sans, shhh…."

"I…. I wanted to. God I wanted to…."

"Sans."

"I-I… I should have! I SHOULD HAVE."

"If you… If you had… they would h-have gotten w-what they wanted. An excuse…." He had stopped, she knew, because he realized this… and perhaps he had realized something else. He thought this was… He thought this was his fault? He pulled away from her and stared up at him. He was in anguish.

"This isn't your… this isn't…. Y-you're fault…" She breathed.

"Yes it is!" He gasped. "I should have been there! None of this would have happened if I had… If I had stopped them, if I had been with you."

"You can't… You c-can't be with me every second of the day." She frowned.

"I SHOULD HAVE BEEN THERE!" He shouted, his eyes wide. "I SHOULD HAVE BEEN THERE TO PROTECT YOU."

"S-sans… p-please…" She whispered. Her pain was returning now, she needed new pain meds, but this was more important. "Shh…." She gently used her good hand to wipe away a tear rolling down his cheekbone. "Look at me." His gaze slowly returned to her. She smiled weakly, trying to breathe through the pain. "Who...Wh...Who broke my fingers." She barely raises her broken hand.

"R-Red X…" He frowned.

"W-who…. Who… Who fractured my r-ribs?"

"R….Red X…" He mumured.

"W-who f-fractured… my l-leg…?"

"Red X."

"W-who…." She took a deep breath, gritting her teeth, "W-who gave me… all these bruises?"

"Red X."

"Are you… are you a part of Red X, Sans?" She coughed.

"N-no!" He glared.

"You…." She gripped his bloody jacket tightly, "You did not do this to me. This will never be your fault." He choked on a sob, and gently rested his skull on her shoulder, taking her good hand in his.

"I love you! I love you so much!" He sobbed, holding onto her. She smiled, softly kissing his cheekbone.

"I… I l-love you… hhhh…." She groaned, pain shooting up her leg.  
"R-Riley?" He frowned, quickly pulling away.

"My… My pain meds wore off…. That's all…." She gasped, coughing.

"I'll…. I'll call a nurse!" He frowned.  
"W-wait!" She grabbed his arm, gently pulling him into a gently embrace again. "You understand…? You understand wh-what I'm saying?"

"It's not my fault." He smiled. She sighed, relief filling her.

"It's not your fault. I love you."

"I love you too."

* * *

It was quite sometime before Riley was allowed to come home. But when that day finally came Frankie was very excited. He and his Uncle had even made a very special batch of Spaghetti for a Welcome Home dinner. Sans had gone to pick Frankie's mom up from the hospital, and Frankie was nearly jumping up and down waiting for them to return.

"FRANKIE! COME HELP ME WITH THE SPAGHETTI! WE HAVE TO SET THE TABLE!"

"Coming!" Frankie took one last look at the front porch and dashed back into the kitchen.

"WE HAVE TO SET THE TABLE."

"Dad says Mom's coming home in a wheelchair. I'll move one of the chairs!" Frankie quickly got to work at dragging the large chair away from the end of the table so Riley could sit and eat with them. Then he carefully set the table. As soon as he was done he heard those familiar voices.

"Home sweet home!"

"Mom!" He raced out into the living room to see Sans standing behind Riley's wheelchair.

"Hey." She smiled. She sounded hoarse, and she didn't look 100% at all, but Frankie was so glad to see her. He quickly pulled her into a gently hug.

"Mom! I'm so glad you're home."

"I'm glad too." She grinned, hugging him with her good hand.

"RILEY! YOU'RE HOOOOMEEE!" Papyrus shrieked. "I'VE MADE YOU SPAGHETTI AS A WELCOME HOME GIFT! AND A GET WELL GIFT! SPAGHETTI IS GOOD FOR ALL SORTS OF GIFTS!"

"Aww! Thanks, P-Papyrus." She smiled. "That's very nice. Is that for dinner, then?"

"OF COURSE."

"Right now, boys, Riley really needs to rest." Sans frowned. "Ri, do you need anything? Anything at all?"

"I'm… I'm alright." She smiled, looking up at him. "Maybe I can sit somewhere more comfy than this, if it's not t-" Sans was already gently pulling her into his arms and carrying her over to the sofa. Frankie smiled. His dad was so worried. Frankie came to sit next to his mom as Sans set her down. The older skeleton knelt in front of his girlfriend. "Are you sure you don't need anything? Nothing?! Are you sure."

"I'm sure." She sighed, leaning forward to kiss him gently. "Don't worry about me."

"Riley." He frowned. "I'm gonna worry about you." Riley had been attacked like Frankie had. He remembered that after Red X attacked him Sans had not let him out of his sight for a very long time. Riley would probably get that same treatment, not that she could move very far now. She laughed weakly, gently kissing him again, and leaning back against the sofa.

"How have you been doing, kiddo?" She smiled, kissing the top of her son's forehead.

"Bored. There's no school and you and dad have been gone for so long. Well Dad, back and forth, but….. I guess I've really missed you both." He sighed.

"Aw, kid." Sans grinned, "We've missed you too." Frankie hugged his dad tightly.

"Now we can play games and watch movies, and read stories!"

"Of course!" Riley smiled. "I'm excited to be back."

"Remember, though, your mom has been through a lot and she needs lots of rest." Sans said.

"Of course. I'll help you with anything you want, Mom." Frankie grinned.

"Aww, Frankie. You don't have to do that!" Riley smiled.

"I want to help you, Mom!" Frankie said.

"You're the sweetest." Riley kissed his skull quickly.

"Are you sure you don't need anything now?" Sans frowned.

"Baby, I'm fine!" She laughed a little. "Sit next to me. We can talk until Dinner."

"Alright…." He nodded, sitting next to her and very gently wrapping an arm around her.

"Alright, Frankie." Riley smiled, leaning against Sans. "What do you want to do tonight?"

* * *

 **REVIEWS FOR CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE:**

 **DatoldDood:** -evil smile and twists imaginary mustache- yes sans...give them a bad time...HAHAHA! Anywaaaayyyy, this is ANOTHER great chapter, (I told myself I wouldn't cry tho) Can't wait for the next chapter! -

 _Bad times abound. Thanks!_

 **oracleks44:** Red X, you F*cked with the wrong monster. Also "There gonna bury whats left of ya in a soup can!"

 _Hell yes they did._

 **Dezybear:** Oh... I'm gonna cry... Red-X gonna die though.

 _Oh no! Hell yes they are._

 **Ed's. Curious. Kitten:** DUNK THEM! DUNK ALL OF THEM! WOULD YOU LIKE AN ASSIST, CAUSE I'LL HELP YA! Keep it up!

 _lol. I think he dunked them pretty good._

 **Mr. Indigo:** Poor Riley! :(  
It hurts to see her like this! Get better soon!

 _I knowwww. I just... aughhh Riles- get betterrrrr!_

 **DragonsCrescent13:** Its dunking time now. I can't wait to see some awesomeness!

Something is bothering me though. Sans only has 1 HP, but he got tasered and he is okay. Eh, maybe I'm just overthinking it. This is fanfiction, where anything can happen and the "canon rules" don't matter.

 _Hmm... I think we can look at it like Tasers weren't built to kill, just stun. So... I dunno. It's not like a knife or gun. And also, yes. Canon doesn't matter here. As you'll soon find out we have our own little AU._

 **Cocoa the Wolf:** MY HEART CAN'T TAKE IT.

Sorry for caps, but both chapters made me almost cry in front of my entire family. I hope I get to see some dunking, and hopefully some Red X deaths.

 _Don't be sorry, that's beautiful. Sometimes I almost cry when I write. lol. There was definitely dunking, but... uh... you can't really kill them. If he did it would be giving all monster haters exactly what they want. An Excuse to continue hating them._

 **Aleixi:** Sans, no! You and Riley and Frankie can't be a family if you get killed or arrested for murder!  
Aw man! What's gonna happen? You've got me on the edge of my seat!

 _#truth. That's part of why he couldn't. :)_

 **Branchwing:** ohhh dear, the feels are coming ;-;

anyways, someone's going to get dunked on :)

But I'm worried about Sans. He only has 1 HP, and if Red-X hits them, he will die. :(.

 _Yes they are. And yes they are. Sans got it. He good. :)_

 **MachUPB:** Oh geez. Sans, though they derserve a good dunking, don't go so far as to kill Red X! I've got two good reasons for not killing them:  
1\. Sans shouldn't have to gain EXP and LOVE from them.  
2\. The deserve worse than death... maybe we should give them to Underfell...  
Great chapter, lots of emotion there. I'm surprised the voice didn't make some snide comment in there. Guess it knew when to keep quite for once. I look forward to the dunking of Red X. :)

 _1\. Yes, definitely._

 _2\. 100% truth._

 _I have another reason: If Sans kills any human it will give all monster haters a reason to continue persecuting them. It's like proving they're right. Monsters are evillll! well, there's your example of that. Blahblahblah. So yeah._

 **aduralove:** OMG IM DYINGGGGG ON THE INSIDE FFFFFFUUUUUUU! Omg bad time is incoming at the the TOP SPEED OF SOUND! Let's dunk them terrorists! 99999/10 would read again

 _lol. I'm already dead because I know what's coming. Truth. How was that dunking?_

 **Guest:** It's a beautiful day outside.  
Birds are singing, flowers are blooming.  
On day's like these.  
People like you.  
SHOULD BE BURNING IN HELL.  
*Megalovania intensifys*

 _100%_

 _They're all gonna have a bad time._

 **iamdaraptor:** "heya. you've been busy,huh? so... i got a question for ya. do you believe even the worst person can change? that anyone can be a good person if they just try?

"heh. well here's a better question: ? cuz whelp. it's coming."

"you hurt my friends. you hurt my family. buddy,you're not gonna like what happens next."

"sorry,ri. this is why i never make promises."

"it's a beautiful day outside. birds are singing,flowers are blooming. on days like these... people like you? L."

Let the Megalovania commence. Just a little thing I thought of after reading the review section. Also I like the feel of this chapter. Reminds me of when I first read Mockingjay. The feels,the excitement,the foreshadowing. All elements from Mockingjay. Good Show! Jolly good show indeed!

 _Wow. Go Sans! hehe. Yeah..._

 _Oh man! Comparing our fic to_ _ **Mockingjay**_ _?! Oh my god! Wow. Thanks! :D_

 **Anonymous:** why do you do these thing to me...? my poor heart can't take this madness... please no...

 _We do it for the PAIN! lol I'm almost sorry._

 **SilerofWorlds:** *Looks at a clock with all the hands pointing to "Bad"*  
My, would you look at the time!

 _Indeed. lol Bad times happening._

 **I guest as much:** Oh God. The way Riley was speaking reminded me of the amalgamates... Anyway, I will reiterate what I said last update, "Red X has made a very big mistake".

 _Hell yes they have. Bad times have come._

 **JustaRandomGal:** Ok... As much as I want red x to get dunked on im a little worried Sans will take it to far and get in trouble I don't want Sans to get arrested or something... Sans... PLZ ONLY KILL 2 OK? MAYBE 3! Jk try to only hurt them badly I don't want you to get arrested. Amazing fic as usual *insert just right meme* when someone makes a fanfic just right. Lol keep doing what your doing I can't wait for the next one :)

 _Yes. That's exactly what the problem is. Thanks so much! :)_

 **Nakalfire99:** This story is killing me! But I love it so much!

 _Hehehe! Awesome!_

 **Guest:** When I was reading Rileys speech, I couldn't help but think of Snowdrake's mother...  
And then I imagined Riley turning into Snowdrake's mother...  
Believe me.  
It wasn't pretty.

ANYWAY  
Awwwww poor skelefam  
I get really mad at Sans whenever he does something to be overprotective. Is that just me?  
Great chapter tho! Can't wait for the next!

 _Yes, poor skelefam. :(_

 _Uh... you're not gonna like the next few chapters. Sans is gonna be like... ULTIMATE PROTECTION MODEEEEE!_

 _Thanks!_

 **Wait wait wait:** I was scrolling through the reviews being answered at the bottom and saw 'The Twist is Later'?! Also yes I am the reviewer that goes by multiple names and yes I always do this and return under different names and only hint that I'm the same reviewer. Heres a few hints to who I am:

This is a quote: 'Greetings. I am Teresa.'  
This is one of my OCs: Chaos  
This is the goodbye I used for one of my reviews: Peace out, Rainbow Trout.

I most commonly go by a name that starts with a 'U'.

Peace Out,  
Rainbow Trout.

 _Yes. The twist is later! Our loverly au twist. Y'all are gonna love it. lol._

 **Harris:** I feel worse for Sans than Riley. She's suffered a lot, but Sans is about to suffer more. Revenge stories never have a happy ending in my experience. At any rate, I'm glad Riley is kinda sorta ok! Frankie and Papyrus are just so sweet. Keep up the good work!

 _They both suffer together... it makes me sad. :( And yeah, revenge stories never ever end good._

 _Thanks! I hope we always shall. :P_

 **An Peepul:** NOOOO! DON'T LEAVE ME HANGING! Also, how often do you update this story? You must've put a lot of effort, because it's really good!

 _lol sorry! :( (but not really) We _try_ and update every three days, but most of the time that doesn't happen. Aww thanks so much! 3_

 **THANKS ALL, SO MUCH FOR LE REVIEWS! SEE YA NEXT TIME!**


	41. Chapter 41: Worry

Sans watched Riley intently, watching over her like she was a precious gem- which to him, she was. He loved her with all his soul, and he needed to make sure she was safe and comfortable at all the times. Ever since the incident, he never once let her out of his sight, for fear that she gets hurt.

It had been several weeks since then, and her bruises were nearly gone. The doctor told him to keep her off her feet because of her ribs, and he took that to heart immediately. He did everything for her- and was happy doing it. If it wasn't for her, who knows where he'd be now. His episodes have become less frequent and the voice hadn't spoken up in quite some time. But maybe that was because he was so focused on other things.  
Where his fear of resets had faded momentarily- the fear for his family grew. He knows everyone he loves is in danger constantly, and he feels as if it's his job to protect them. Red X is still out there, he just took down one of the main branches. Crime against monster-kind had gone down almost overnight with the arrest of their leaders. Though that didn't quell Sans' worry, he was still afraid- and angry. With every new news report pertaining to Red X, he felt a tinge of rage in his soul. But he controls it. For Riley. For Frankie. For Papyrus.  
Right now, he was sitting next to Riley on the couch. She had fallen asleep moments ago, watching some sort of anime that Sans took no interest in. He holds her close, gently brushing a lock of red hair out of her face. She had been so broken, and seeing her heal so fast was a relief to him. He never wants anything like that to happen to her ever again. Sans doesn't dare move, allowing her to rest as much as she can.  
Frankie and Papyrus were already in bed, and it was getting pretty late. He glances at the clock, it read 1:12AM. He sighs, knowing he should probably get some rest too. As soon as he closes his eyes however, memories of seeing Riley broken and mangled flood through his mind and he forces himself to stay awake. He must have shifted at some point, because his girlfriend blinks awake,  
"...Sans…? What time's it…?" She mumbles, yawning.  
"S'late, babe… go back to sleep…"  
"Aren't you gonna go to sleep too…?"

"I'm fine. You should sleep."  
"Sans… You need sleep…" She raises a hand, rubbing her thumb along the dark circles beneath his eye sockets, "I can tell you're tired…"  
"I'm fine."  
"You keep saying that… and I know you're not…" She frowns, taking his hand in hers. "I'm not going back to sleep until you do."  
"Riley-"  
"Sans." She shakes her head, "I mean it. You can't force yourself to stay awake like this… it's not healthy."  
"You're really stubborn, you know that…?" He chuckles a little. She smiles,  
"Yes I do. Now sleep…? Please?" He hesitates, then nods.  
"Alright… I'll sleep." She grins, nuzzling him gently,  
"Thank you…" As she drifts off to sleep once more, he does too- although his sleep was fitful and full of nightmares, it was much needed.

* * *

"And you're sure you don't need anything?" Sans asked Riley, who lay next to him in bed. Riley sighs,

"Sans. Go to sleep."

"You'll wake me if you need anything?" Riley rolls her eyes, a few more weeks had passed and he was still being overprotective. As much as she appreciated it, he was really persistent.

"Yes, Sans." The skeleton mumbles something in reply, letting out a yawn as he wraps an arm around Riley's waist. That's right, Sans. Go to sleep.

Soon, her boyfriend had drifted off, snoring lightly. Alright. Now I just have to- she slowly eases his arm out of its place, he stirs, but doesn't wake up. Riley lets out a sigh of relief.

Just 5 minutes alone- that's all I need. She carefully sits up, swinging her legs over the edge of the bed and stepping lightly on the carpet below. She stands fully, turning back to see Sans still asleep. Thank the stars.

"...where're you goin'?" A sleepy voice asks as she takes a step away from the bed. Crap. She turns slowly,

"Bathroom." She says simply. Sans makes a move to get up, "I. Am. Going. To. The. Bathroom." Riley says through clenched teeth, shooting a glare in Sans' direction. He gestures to her leg, which was wrapped in a thick cast, with a face that says 'in case you didn't notice, your leg is broken'.

The skeleton shrugs, pushing the covers off himself, "I can help jus-"

"No."

"Riley, I-"

"-Sans. The bathroom is 2 feet down the hall." He lets out a sigh,

"I know… Be careful?" Riley has just about had it, it's not like she's meaning to refuse his help- but he's making her feel helpless.

"What am I gonna do!? Fall in?!" She grumbles, crossing her arms. Sans frowns, "No- I just… I'm worried-"

"About what, sans?!"

"Losing you!" He raised his voice, looking up at Riley desperately. Riley gasps, any anger that she'd felt towards him a second ago had now vanished.

"I thought I lost you, Riley. I just… I just need to make sure you're okay…" Riley sits back down on the edge of the bed,

"Sans… I know you're worried, but…" She pauses, trying to find the words, "you're making me feel helpless… Like I can't do anything for myself. I'm sorry I snapped- it's just… Frustrating." Sans nods solemnly, putting a hand on her shoulder,

"I didn't realize… You can uh- go to the bathroom, heh." He chuckles lightly, "just uh- don't fall in, alright? I don't know if I'll be able to save you in time." Riley playfully punches his shoulder,

"Quiet, bonehead. I'll be back in a couple minutes." Sans nods, smiling now. Riley plants a kiss on the top of his skull before getting up to finally have some alone time.

* * *

Dear Frankie,

I'm sorry I've been writing less. Things have been so busy here. Dad's trying to put me in this really fancy school and I've had to take all these silly tests. I don't want to go to a private school. I want to go back home. Dad's working on his business. He's very excited. We're both excited by the news on the TV, though. They say all of Red X's leaders have been taken to prison. That's amazing! I'm sure we'll never have a big problem from them again! I'm so so sad to hear about your mom. I hope she gets better real quickly. Do you think your mom and dad will get married someday?! That would be really cool.

I'm sorry this letter is so short, I've been so busy this week.

I miss you. And I hope we can see each other soon.

Love,

Wren

* * *

Frankie had been at home the past few weeks helping his dad take care of his mom. He didn't mind it at all. He knew his mom needed help and he was happy to help her. Now, at last, his mom was well enough to move small distances on her own (though dad rarely let her) and she didn't need as much care as she had before. So Frankie decided it would be a good time to go to a friend's house. He called Toriel and asked if he could come over to play with Frisk for an afternoon. He was sure it would be alright with his dad and mom since it was Summer and there wasn't much else to do. So, he grabbed his new chess set (a gift from mom for his grades) and pulled on his shoes, heading towards the door.

"I'M GOING TO FRISK'S HOUSE!"

"WHAT?!" Sans' voice shouted. Frankie knew he had made a mistake when he heard the panic in his father's tone. The older skeleton dashed out from the kitchen, his eyes wide. "Where are you going?!"

"To Frisk's!" Frankie grinned, "Toriel said it was okay… I figured you'd be okay with it too."

"You're not walking there alone." Sans glared.

"Dad! It's like… a ten minute walk!" Frankie gasped, but he could see the terrible worry in his father's expression. Ever since the incident with Riley Sans had been so terrified that something else was going to happen- even though since all the leaders had been arrested there hadn't been a single Red X-claimed event.

"You're not going alone. It's too dangerous, Frankie." Sans frowned. "I can't have… this happen again. Okay?"

"Okay…" Frankie sighed.

"Uh… Paps!"

"YES, SANS?!" The tall skeleton shouted from the kitchen.

"What are you doing right now? Can you walk Frankie to Toriel and Asgore's house?"

"WHAT?! I'M SORRY, I CAN'T! I'M MAKING SPAGHETTI!" Sans' expression was pure panic now. Frankie knew that he felt helplessly torn. He didn't want to leave Riley, but… he didn't want Frankie to walk outside alone.

"I'll go with you." He said. Apparently he decided Riley was safe as long as she was inside. And with her injuries there was no way she would be going outside alone anytime soon.

"Okay! Cool!" Secretly, he was a little relieved his dad was coming with him. The quiet walk to Frisk's was never one he looked forward too. There could be so many things lurking beyond the corners.

* * *

Sans wakes up in the morning, feeling well rested. Riley was still asleep, leaning against him, and he smiles. Even though this life is broken and fractured- he feels happy. He feels happy being with her and living on the surface. He feels like he can do more, and live more than before. But a horrible feeling washes over him the second he starts believing he can have a life up here.  
You think you can avoid resets, Sans? It always happens. You know this. Why do you lie to yourself? The truth is, he doesn't know why he lies to himself, Why he thinks he deserves a happy life. But there's always that one nagging thought in the back of his mind that says, 'what if it didn't? What if it didn't reset?'. But he has no way of knowing for sure. Hell, it could happen tomorrow- it could happen next year.  
He had, during one reset, confronted Frisk about it. But the small human had no idea what he was talking about. He was so sure that Frisk had something to do with it, because the only thing that remained a constant throughout the resets was them. But it wasn't them… or at least, they didn't know about it. The only hint he got after that was the fact that they could remember him. But wouldn't they know of their ability to reset? Could they be doing it without knowing? If that was the case, what could Sans do to stop it?

It was easy enough for Sans to come up with one last solution. One that he'd put off for so many resets- but he was willing to try anything. Anything for Riley. Anything for Frankie. Anything for Papyrus. He knows what he has to do. He has to fix the machine.

* * *

 **REVIEWS FOR CHAPTER FORTY**

 **aduralove:** ok, love love LOVED THE DUNKAGE and the "It's not your fault." thing? OMFG THAT KILLED ME. I AM LIKE IN BED CRYING JOYUS TEARS RIGHT NOW ahhh... jeez I'd like to dunk my bullies and friends bullies like that. And I love the ending of the chapter.. suu... CUTEEEE! And the knock knock thing? Ge-ni-ous! and you keep talking about a twist I think? I have an I idea. Chara Red X. Or just Chara. Or some cooky crazy Red X thing. Dunno. 9999999/10 would read again

 _Oh my gosh! Awesome! We're so glad you loved that chapter! This chapter really is the turning point for Sans, and its extremely important because we see he's turning towards the better not because they're not worth it or whatever, but because he wants to do what's right for the people he loves. He's become extremely attached to this world, to these people, that the voice says he shouldn't be attached to. And that's important. The Knock knock thing was my cousin. She writes all of Sans' povs. It was pretty brilliant. lol. I really can't say anymore about the twist except that it's super super good! Awesome! Read it over and over! :D_

 **DezyBear:** I LOVED THIS CHAPTER! I CAN'T WAIT FOR THE NEXT! PLEASE MAKE IT SOON3

 _Okay, it's one day later, but that's better than last time! We're getting better! :)_

 **MachUPB:** *Sees 'Le Reviews'.  
*Light bulb appears above head.  
Vous parlez en français? Je parle en français! J'aime beaucoup votre histoire.  
Translation:  
You speak french? I speak french! I like your story a lot.  
(Note: Don't hold me up to speaking french, I'm not very fluent. Also, I didn't use a translator to write that. :) )

Great chapter. That satisfied all of my dunking needs and wants. And now that Sans isn't blaming himself, it's happy time! I think it's sweet how protective Sans is/will be. I look forward to the next chapter.

 _Oui! Un Petit peu... Merci beaucoup!_

 _I took two quarters of French in 11th grade, so that was... two and a half years ago... I really should touch up. I can read French pretty well and understand it but its hard for me to remember things off the top of my head now. I'm definitely gonna have to look into working on it. I love French it's such a gorgeous language!_

 _Yes! The dunkage was good! :) And I hope you liked this chapter. It definitely had a nice bit of fluff. 3_

 **simba71999:** Hey. I'm sans and Riley's hybrid son from the future! I wouldn't be here if Riley died. Also, in the future, red x still exists. but they are very scattered and unorganized.

 _lol... I don't know about hybrid... i'm not quite sure that's possible. But... Yes. Red X still exists in the future._

 **DragonCrescent13:** Aww Sans. Good job for being the bigger man/monster. I am looking forward to some fluffy family bonding time with Sans, Riley, Frankie, and Papyrus. Maybe the other monsters could show up as well! :)

 _Yes! This chapter didn't have anyone else unfortunately, but pretty soon you all are going to get to meet Alphys and Undyne's baby boy! :D_

 **Ciderstar LoD:** Can't lie, it took a lot of will power no to scream with I saw chapter 40 was out. I thought it was a little short but writing can be hard sometimes. I plan to read some of the eariler chapters while waiting for chapter 41.

 _lol. that's amazing. Yeah... chapter forty was kind of short. We're going to try and get longer chapters going for you all... That's so amazing that you guys are actually rereading chapters. Of our fanfic! That's brilliant! My goodness, that's like the best compliment ever! :D_

 **Cocoa the Wolf:** I hate laws. I hate Red X. I hate villains getting their way. I hate that tHEY WERE RIGHT, OHMYGOD.

Oh, and is Riley based off of that mouse with a green hat and scarf in Snowdin? That was a huge change of subject.

 _But how did they get their way? The leader wanted nothing more than for Sans to kill them. If Sans had he would be making martyrs out of them. He would be proving that monsters **are** dangerous and Red X is right in discriminating against them, even hurting and killing them. Sans came out the better because he **didn't**_ _give them what they wanted. Au contraire he proved to the world that monsters can do good! And, that was the exact opposite of what Red X wanted._

 _I don't believe we based Riley off of anything except what was in our heads. :) But that's cute. There's a little mouse Riley in Snowdin! Aw!_

 **JustARandomGal:** When I saw the chapter name I was like: 0_0 stuffs gunna go down... I was wondering... Is Sans ever going to approach Frisk about the resets?

Anyway thx for updating whenever I see that a new chapter is out im just like: OMGANEWCHAPTERITSGUNNABESOGOOD *clicks next chapter at the speed of light* lol i know I say this all the time but keep up the good work!

 _Well... you got your answer about that in this chapter. hehe. The twist is coming soon! :D_

 _Yes! We try really hard to stay on schedule. We're getting closer to back into that groove now. We're one day off. Last time it was three days off. I hope next time we're right on time._

 **trvlsize23:** You made me cry...can't tell if that's a good thing. Glad Red X got what they deserved...unless you know...there's more of somewhere...waiting...BUT ANYWAYS! Beautiful as always and full of those feels! Thank you!

 _Definitely a good thing. lol. Shh... secrets. Awesome! Thank *you*!_

 **Ed's. Curious. Kitten:** Yay! The family is back together! Keep it up!

 _Yas! And fluff times! :D_

 **Guest:** I have a feeling this instant the last of the Red-X

 _Well, it was the last of their leaders, that's for sure._

 **Harris:** All I can say is... THIS WAS AWESOME! I'm glad Sans made the decision he did.

 _AWww! awesome! Same here. lol_

 **Asriel:** *froggy fresh intinsifies* CAUSE HE JUST GOT DUNKED ON AINT EVEN LYING MAN HE JUST GOT DUNKED ON YEP YEP HE WAS STANDING IN THE WAY SO I JUMPED UP IN THE AIR AND DUNKED IT ON HIS FACE. RED X ROLED ON GROUND CRYIŃ BIG POLICE LOOKED AT US AND HE SAID WHY IS RED CRYIŃ? CAUSE HE JUST GOT DUNKED ON...man I love the undernet I just feel nobody gets my asriwl oc... (Timeline jumper asriel made in the void runs from INFINATE sans...don't ask and has 11 forms...)

 _TRUTH. THEY JUST GOT DUNKED!_

 **The Real ZadZap:** I'll admit I was a good deal frustrated when it took forever for them to confess their feelings, I may have almost gone insane lol...anyway, this is a good fic regardless.

 _lol *everyone* was. Awesome! Thanks so much!_

 **I guest as much:** Boom! Red X got SO lucky, they don't even know how close they were to experiencing pain like nothing else.

 _Absolute Truth. Though i'm sure they're gonna be enjoying a nice long break in prison._

 **iamdaraptor:** Hell yes I'm comparing it to Mockingjay. This scene reminds me of a lot of others in the book. Deal with it.

*Spoilers abound!*

When Peeta was seen on TV. When they were taking refuge in the shelters while the Capitol dropped bombs all over District Thirteen. When Peeta was out of whack and calling Katniss a mutt. When they were hiding in Tigris' basement.

These scenes had a lot of one thing: unbearable tension and anticipation. Heavy and dark foreshadowing. This fic basically gives me pretty much the same mix of dread and hype Mockingjay gave me. So thumbs up,ma bruhs. Ya gotta have some skillz to pull that off.

Also OMFG FINNNAAAALLYYYYYYYYYY. DING DONG THE TERRORISTS ARE BUSTED! Fuck I just realized I made another reference. Ah well. And poor Sans he's pretty messed up. Hope things get better for the skelefam. Can't wait for next update!

 _This is awesome! Wow. Amazing compliment. Amazing comparison, I can hardly believe it!_

 _Yeah. I hope this chapter cheered you up! Lots of lovely fluffs! :)))_

 **An Peepul:** Yay! FINALLY chapter 40! (It's only been around 10 days. It's not that long) IT IS TO ME! Anyways, I'm glad Sans didn't kill Red X because if he did, then... bad stuff will happen.

 _Shhh! It was six! That's less than ten! That is true. It would not have ended well for any monsters if Sans had done that._

 **THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR THE REVIEWS! They're so encouraging and we love to hear from you!**

 **-MH_C**


	42. Chapter 42: Machine

Sans let out a sigh, glancing over at Riley who lay sleeping. She was recovering quickly, much to his relief, but he was terrified to leave her. It was nearly midnight now, and he couldn't stop thinking about the machine. He watches as minutes tick by. If it's the only way I can stop the resets… shouldn't I take a risk and do it? I can't just sit around and wait for it to happen. Not anymore. Not with Riley and Frankie in my life.

Carefully, he gets out of bed, making sure to not disturb his sleeping girlfriend. Sleep well, Ri… I'll be back soon… The short skeleton picks his coat up, which he had haphazardly thrown on the floor upon entering the bedroom earlier that night, and slips it on. He checks on Frankie and Papyrus before silently teleporting underground, in front of his old house.

Never thought I'd willingly be here anytime soon… He chuckles bitterly, walking past the familiar mailboxes. He smiles as he remembers Papyrus always yelling at him to check his mail, though he never did. Before Riley and Frankie, he had never been truly driven to do anything- and now, the short skeleton was going to finish something he'd put off for many resets. It was almost crazy to think that Sans the skeleton would be accomplishing something- or would at least be attempting to accomplish something.

Sans steps around the house, finding the familiar old door. It sent shivers through him, just looking at it, knowing what lie beneath the house. He pulls a small silver key out of his pocket, and unlocks the door. It opens with a rather ominous creak, and Sans descends the stairs that lead down to the room he'd spent so many sleepless nights in. He feels for a lightswitch, and thankfully, since the Core never stopped running, the lights turned on.

The room was just as he left it. He hadn't been down here in nearly a year, and everything was coated in a thick layer of dust. He walks over to the machine.  
"Hello again…" He murmurs out loud, shaking his head in disbelief, What am I doin' down here…? He pulls the faded sheet off of the large metal object, revealing what it concealed. The machine was about six feet tall, and was box-like in appearance. There were side panels missing, the now gaping holes showed wires and various other electronic circuits that not even Sans knew every function of.

Sans had built the machine, yes, but it wasn't his idea. All he knows- all he hopes- is that this machine will stop the resets. How? He didn't know. But it was worth it, even if he fails, or the machine does- he would at least be doing something. Something to prevent the resets.

A small whirring begins from deep within the machine. He's still here, isn't he? Sans sighs,  
"And hello again to you too, Gaster." A cracking energy fills the air, along with a static noise.

"H-H-HE-Hello, Sans. I-I-IT has been awhile." A broken voice speaks, channeling through the machine.

"Yeah. Guess it has." the short skeleton crosses his arms, "Now are you actually gonna help me figure this out? I can't read your handwriting."

"I-I-I WoULD have hoped that my son REmem-membered HIS FatHer's H-Ha-handwriting. Do-Don't YOU remember, S-Sans?" Gaster's voice crackles.  
"Look, I can't remember much. You weren't always there for me an' Paps you know?" Sans glares, though he knows Gaster can't see him.  
"I-I-I h-had more important things to attend to. And i would have hoped your mind was at least a little stronger than that, Sans. So FOr-GETful." The crackling voice lets out a dry laugh, Sans scoffs,  
"More important things. Nothing should have been more important than your family… and as for 'forgetful'. Heh. You realize you were erased from time and space, right? It's a miracle you found your way back to this timeline at all. No one remembers you but me." The voice is silent for a moment as Sans turns to look at the odd blueprints he had left on his workbench. Somehow, these documents remained, despite their creator having never existed.

"Wh-WHAt brought you back…? To WO-WORK on the machine? Fame… ? F-FOrtune?" Gaster laughs and then pauses, "Wait… D-DOn't tell me… you met some-SOME-someone you care about…? Someone perhaps… you love?"

Sans doesn't say anything for a long while, since he heard humor crackling in his father's voice. Was that funny to him? That he fell in love and now he can't live without them?

"I have a son now. And a girlfriend." Sans glosses over the blueprints- they still made little to no sense. He could piece together some of the things he remembered, but the symbols were confusing and gave him a headache. He remembered from the last reset that he could think more clearly after he stared for awhile, the symbols slowly translated in his mind. His concentration is broken by a demented laugh,  
"SO I-i Am a GR-GRANdFather? A-are you teACHING the boy what I taught you? JUST as my father had taught me?" Sans laughs,  
"You're funny if you think I'm gonna tell that kid what to be when he grows up. He deserves to have a choice, Gaster. I'm not teaching him how to be a scientist, if that's what you mean."  
"YOU weRE always the fault in the FAMILY line… IF M-M-My life hadnt been cut short, I WOULD h-have taught Papyrus as well… HO-HOW is my other son? More SUCCESSFUL than you, i would hope." Sans rolls his eyes, the remarks his father made, however, stung. He tried not to let that show.  
"He wants to be a chef." Sans replies simply, cracking a small smile.  
"A...Chef…" Gaster scoffs, "WASTE. Waste OF fa-fa-family blood. YOU two were destined-destined for GREatness."  
"Look, i didn't come down here to hear your complaining, Gaster. I came down here to fix this machine and get the hell outta the underground for good, understood?" It's silent before a short reply is spoken,  
"UNderstood."

* * *

Riley maneuvered around the couch, and slowly lowered herself to take a seat, her awful bruises had finally gone away, leaving her with broken fingers, and a couple compound fractures, including the one in her leg. She had been able to graduate from the wheelchair and move onto crutches- thank god.

"Here, mom!" Frankie smiled, "Let me take those!" He gently took her crutches and leaned them against the wall by the window. "Do you need anything? I could get you a snack! Or some milk, or… water… or…."

"I'm alright, Frankie." She laughed, patting the sofa next to her. "Why don't you sit down?" The little skeleton happily complied, hugging her tightly. "Ow…" She murmured, "Careful with the rib, kiddo."

"Sorry!" He sighed. "So what do you think Alphys and Undyne's baby is going to be like?!"

"I'm sure he's adorable!" Riley grinned. She couldn't wait to meet the little boy that her friends had adopted. It was Spaghetti night and she and Sans were hosting. Alphys and Undyne had called to tell them that they would be bringing their son home that week and they would all finally get to meet him.

"I wonder what his name is…" At that moment the door opened and Sans stepped in.

"Found it." He grinned, holding up Riley's cell phone.

"Aww, baby, thank you!" She sighed with relief. He came up behind the sofa to hug her gently, passing her the phone.

"'Course, Sunshine." He said, kissing her cheek.

"Dad, when is everyone else gonna get here?" Frankie said, impatiently tapping his foot on the floor.

"Soon." Sans shrugged, standing up straight and looking over to the kitchen. "How's the spaghetti coming, Paps?" He shouted.

"AMAZING, AS USUAL! JUST WAIT UNTIL YOU ALL TRY THIS BATCH!" And just at that moment, the door was kicked in.

"WHAT'S UP, PUNKS!"

"Undyne…" Sans groaned.

"Undyne!" Riley gasped. The tall fish woman was standing proudly, by herself, in the doorway, carrying an enormous bag full of baby stuff.

"Where's the baby?!" Frankie grinned. "I want to meet him!"

"Alphys is getting him out of the car." Undyne smiled brightly, "He's great! Just wait until you meet him. I can see it already, he's gonna be the toughest kid on the block!" Undyne threw the bag down on the floor by the door and it landed with a ridiculous THUD. They're hauling around a lot of stuff. Riley grinned.

"H-hello, everyone!" Alphys stood in the doorway now, and in her arms was her son. He was the cutest thing Riley had ever seen. A little fish boy, blue like Undyne, but with green markings and a tuft of vibrant green hair.

"Oh. My. God." Riley breathed

"Everyone!" Undyne grinned. "This is Mizuko!"

"Oh my godddd!" Riley grinned, "AWWWww he's so cute!" The little boy couldn't even be one yet. He babbled happily in Alphys' arms, drooling a little.

"Mizuko?" Frankie stood up quickly to meet Alphys in the doorway, "Hi, Mizuko!" He took the baby's hand with a laugh. "Aww! Mom, he's so cute!"

"He is!" Riley grinned.

"Do you want to hold him?" Undyne offered Frankie.

"Really?!" Frankie gasped.

"Come sit over here." Riley patted the sofa again. "He's gonna be squirmy. We don't want you to drop him."

"Oh!" Frankie nodded, coming to sit next to his mom. Undyne followed him and gently set Mizuko in his lap. The little skele wrapped his arms around the baby. Mizuko looked back and forth between his mother and Frankie for a moment and then patted Frankie's chin.

"BA!"

"Aww…" Riley grinned. "Isn't he cute, Sans?"

"Have to admit… The kid's adorable." Sans chuckled, leaning against the back of the couch again.

"He likes me!" Frankie gasped. The little fish boy patted Frankie's cheekbone again with a big smile.

"Awww!" Alphys smiled. "H-h-he does!"

"Do you wanna hold him, Mom?"

"Yes!" Riley nodded, gently taking Mizuko from Frankie's arms. The little fish was adorable, and so little. It made Riley happy… maybe… maybe some day me and Sans can… can have a baby…. She had always wanted to be a mom, and Frankie had granted her that wish. But to start at the beginning- to adopt a baby. That was something that she hoped for… maybe some day.

Mizuko happily babbled in her lap, giggling at her silly faces.

"Oh my god. Alphys, Undyne, he's adorable." Riley smiled. "Congratulations!"

"Thanks." Alphys grinned. "W-we really l-love him." She snapped a couple pictures with her phone.

"Sans?" Riley sighed, looking up at her boyfriend. "You wanna hold him?"

"W-what?! Me?! N-no!" He chuckled nervously. "That's… that's okay."

"Come on…!" Riley laughed. "He's super cute! Hold him!"

"Uhh…." Sans frowned, looking over at Undyne. The fish woman laughed.

"Come on, nerd! He doesn't bite. Well… actually… he does… but… he doesn't really have teeth. Yet…."

"Sans, come on! Why not?"

"Okay, alright, fine!" Sans sighed. "I'll hold the kid."

"Yay!" Riley grinned. Is Sans scared of holding babies, oh my god. She laughed a little, passing the small fish over to her boyfriend. Sans' hands were shaking and he looked terrified, but he held Mizuko tightly. The little boy seemed to be enthralled with Sans. He shrieked, patting Sans' ribs.

"H-hey, kid." Sans smiled a little. "How're ya doin'?" Mizuko giggled, and then noticed the fur on Sans' coat. He shrieked, and dropped his head into the fuzz.

"Aww!" Alphys gasped. "He l-loves you, Sans." Riley grinned brightly, unlocking her phone to take a few pictures.

"R-Ri… You wanna take him back?" Sans chuckled.

"You're doing great, baby." Riley nodded. "He loves you."

"Y-yeah, but…"

"You got this, Dad!" Frankie said.

"Okay…. Uh… How're ya doing there, kid?" Sans frowned, looking down at the fish boy in his arms.

"GA!" Mizuko shrieked.

"Heh… yeah, me too." Sans grinned. Riley saw he was becoming more comfortable with the little boy and she sighed. She could imagine… one day… Sans and her having a baby of their own. She hoped that was his dream as well.

* * *

"Mom…?" Frankie yawned as Riley gently tucked him in.

"Yeah?" She smiled.

"Do you think you guys will have a baby someday?" Frankie smiled up at his parents. Sans' eyes widened, and Riley looked over at her boyfriend with a frown.

"M-maybe." She shrugged. "I would… I would like to have a baby… someday." Frankie nodded sleepily,

"Yeah…. I would like to have a little brother or sister someday too… I've always wanted to be a big brother."

"Well… Your mom and I can talk about it… uh… soon." Sans chuckled. "Get some sleep, kiddo."

"Okay…" Frankie nodded, closing his eyes. "I love you, Dad… Mom…"

"We love you too, Frankie." Riley gently kissed the top of his skull and Sans tucked Sir Barkley in next to him before the two left his room and Frankie drifted off to sleep.

* * *

 **REVIEWS FOR CHAPTER FORTY-ONE:**

 **DezyBear:** THE MACHINE! THIS IS GONNA BE GOOD!

 _lol... we are slowly reaching our climax. :)_

 **DragonCrescent13:** OMG! Sans is fixing the machine ( about time)! Please let Gaster show up! I love him to pieces! He is just so adorable. X)

 _Well... I suppose this chapter pleased you then. hehe..._

 **Ed's. Curious. Kitten:** I'm ready for the fluffy goodness! Keep it up!

 _How was this?! Some cutes Mizuko! :D_

 **MachUPB:** *Gasp* The machine! I've seen so many theories on what it is, I'm definitely looking forward to seeing yours.

About French, I learnt it throughout school. And I went to France once. I agree, it is such an amazing language. I like how it all flows. Cette histoire est très intéressant, je l'aime beaucoup.

I agree with iamdaraptor on the Mockingjay thing. I don't have a good enough memory to make my own comparisons, but those ones I strongly agree on. Basically saying here that I think your story is as good as Mockingjay. It provokes emotions just as well and gets the reader very attached to the characters. So good job!

Great chapter and, as always, I look forward to the next chapter. :)

 _Hmm... it's not so much a theory as... an AU._

 _Merci beaucoup!_

 _Wow! Thanks so much. You guys are too kind! lol. I hope you liked this chapter as well._

 **The Real ZadZap:** lol, I admit I wanted to scream "Finally" at my laptop when they got together. Hopefully things improve. Loving it so far.

 _lmao, everyone did. Everyone did. I'm so glad you like it! :)_

 **aduralove:** BUM BUM BUM! Omg he's gonna... FIX THE MACHINE?! WHAT DOES IT EVEN DO?! Gonna go make my brain explode with possible explanations. And the letter from Wren was SOOOO cute! I love the little things like that as much as the big things, such as dunkage. AHHH SO GOOOOD 9999999/10 Would read again.

 _yas! The machine! I guess you'll find out what it does! :)_

 _Awww! Yeah, Frankwren! 3_

 **trvlsize23:** *gasp* SECRETS!? okay. (i'll be quiet. for you, friend. ssshhhhhhhhhhhhhh) ;) p.s. why do i find protective sans adorable? it's hilarious.

 _You're gonna love love love the extended epilogue if you like protective Sans. He is way adorable! I agree!_

 **Harris:** Congrats on another fabulous update! I see where the AUis coming in now! This universe is very cool. Keep up the good work!

 _Aw! Thanks! Yes, the AU is definitely around the machine and all that. I'm glad you like it! :D_

 **Guest:** One thing I don't understand is that wouldn't Red X target Papyrus as well? So why was Sans about to let him go with Frankie to Toriel and Frisk's place? Or this could be a fic in which Papyrus has the same powers as Sans, but is too kind to use them on Frisk, even when they are a psycopathic murderer... but Red X are psycopathic murderers, so would'nt he be too forgiving to use his powers on them, too?...

Anyhow, I can't wait for the next chapter!  
xox Z xox

 _Yeah... I don't have an excuse for that. lol. Ah well. Too late. Maybe he feels like Red X would be less likely to attack with an adult near. And also, Paps has a phone._

 _Hope you liked this one too!_

 **An Random Peepul:** Oh. So THAT'S the plot twist, eh? (I mean the part about Frisk not being the one who keeps resetting) Intresting... THIS IS SO INTENSE! WHYYYYYYYYY!

 _lmao. Noooooppppeeee! We haven't gotten to the plot twist yet. You'll know it 100% when you see it. Yes it is, and it's about to get worse._

 **JustARandomeGal:** Yessss it's so cute how much Sans cares about Rily *Sansly intensifies* :3. one more thing... Tralala beware the man who speaks in hands (I was gunna do it in wing dings but I'm rly bad with wing dings XD) thisssssssss isssssss sooooooo eeepppppiiiicccccccc *jumps out window*

 _Sansleyyyyy! Yeah, you're gonna love the extended epilogue as well. Protective!Snas! My god, you guys got this whole guessing thing down. Thaaaaaankkkss!_

 **Anonymous;** Is Wing Dingus gonna make an appearance ( ͡ ͜ʖ ͡)

 _lmao- does this chapter answer your question?_

 **iamdaraptor:** Yes I'm happy. Cuz:

1.)Fren  
2.)Cute stuff with overprotective Sans  
3.)Ominous cliffhanger

Also does this pertain to the fact that WE are the ones who reset. WE are the ones who make Frisk Sans Chara and everyone else go through this. WE are DETERMINATION.

Wow. That got dark really fast. *awkwardly shuffles out of the room*

 _Yash! Fren (or Frankwren!)_

 _Overprotective Snas is the best and you also are going to love the extended epilogue._

 _More of those to come duh duh DUUHHHHHHH!_

 _Uh no. This is definitely an AU. A very, very fun AU. You're all gonna love it._

 **MOOO:** I HATE RILEY

 _I'm shocked you've read all the way to 41! She's such an incredibly important part of the story. Ah well. If you hate it, don't read it. That's the way it goes. lol._

 **THANKS ALL FOR THE AWESOME REVIEWS! I HOPE TO SEE YOU ALL AT THE NEXT CHAPTER! :D**

 **-MH_C**


	43. Chapter 43: Soon

**This chapters a little bit short but the next one's going to be much longer, trust me. It's going to be utterly fabulous.**

 **-MH.C**

* * *

Sans made sure Riley was asleep before he left for the Underground. Over the past week, he'd been returning there, slowly but surely repairing and fixing up the machine. It was a long and arduous task, but Sans was getting used to reading his father's handwriting, which made the process much more simplistic.  
"You ARE lAte…." Gaster grumbled, his voice crackling with irritation.  
"Sorry. Kid had a nightmare." He glares and then adds under his breath, "not like you would care." Apparently, Gaster heard that,  
"I know you THINK I D-d-don't care about FAMily… BUT I do. I care about YOUR SUCCEss."

"And success is…? What? Bein' like you?" Sans chuckles, getting to work on stripping some wires, "Look, Gaster. Your uh… 'success'? Yeah. It got you killed."  
"I periSHED for a GOOD cause…"  
"Mhm. and look at you now." He rolls his eyes, "Glad I stopped following in your footsteps."  
"YOU maDE a mist-mist-stake in doing so…"  
"Pfft. I'm glad i didn't become such a stuck up tightwad like you."  
"And I'm SAD that my SON became S-s-such a FAILURE." Sans glares and continues his work. He wasn't going to let Gaster get to him like that. He's trying to make Sans feel bad about not following in his father's footsteps, and it wasn't working. Sans' only goal was to fix the machine, not to be lectured relentlessly by his father.  
"TELL mE about YoUR Son AND GirlFRIEND…." Gaster crackles, Sans scoffs,  
"Why the hell do you wanna know about them? S'not like you care."  
"I WOULD like to knoW Who mY SOn has ChoSEN As HIS MATE and OFFSPRING" Gaster would not be happy knowing that Sans is with a human. There's one thing Sans has always known about his dad, and that's his hatred for humans. Ever since his mother died from a human, his dad had always despised them. So, telling him that Riley was a human… probably not the best of ideas.  
"Well." Sans shrugs, "there's not much to tell. Riley's amazing, and Franklin is too."  
"THiS…. 'RILEy'... what type OF monster is SHE?" _Well, you see, pops…_  
"She's an elemental." Sans decides to be as vague as possible. Gaster can't know about Riley being human.  
"I SeE. And FRANklin?"  
"Skeleton. Really bright kid, too."  
"HMm… and HOW did You PRocure this ChilD?"  
"Adopted him."  
"SO He IS noT Blood?"  
"Blood doesn't matter."  
"BloOD is EVeRything… WE havE To CONtinue our FamILy LinE… YoU MuST have a chilD of your OWN." As much as Sans would like to, that's impossible with Riley.  
"Look. I'll have a kid when me and Riley are ready."  
"Tsk… you aRE losinG time…" Sans rolls his eyes,  
"I have all the time in the world."  
"UnLESS tHE timEline ResetS..." Sans stiffens at the mention of resets,

"Why th' hell do you think I'm doin' this? I ain't doin' it for shits and giggles, Dad." Gaster is silent for a moment,  
"I SUpposE not…"

* * *

Frankie hadn't received a letter from Wren in quite some time and he had never felt so alone. With school just around the corner he figured maybe he could make some new friends, and he and Frisk were still great friends but… he was scared. Scared that he'd lose Frisk, scared that he'd lose his mom and…. Sans….? Frankie was scared more than ever of losing his father. Sans in the past few weeks had seemed so exhausted, he hadn't talked much to anyone really. Frankie knew Sans had bad dreams, but he had never been too tired to talk to Frankie and now, Frankie was worried that he had done something wrong. Like his final school project when Sans had practically lost it. That had hurt.

"What's going on kiddo?" He was brought out of his thoughts by his dad's familiar voice.

"Dad…." He sighed, looking up at Sans with a frown.

"No letter from Wren yet?" Sans asked, sitting next to his son on the couch.

"No… But… I guess my last letter was late too so that's okay." Frankie shrugged.

"Is… something the matter, Frankie?" Sans frowned. Frankie saw worry in his eyes so he just shrugged. "Come on, kid, you know you can talk to me."

"I just…." He frowned. "Dad?"

"Yeah?" Sans said.

"You're gonna…. Be my dad forever and ever… right?" Frankie looked up with tears in his eyes.

"F-Frankie!" Sans gasped. "Yeah, of course! I'm going to make sure of it! I'll always be your dad." Frankie sighed, hugging his father tightly.

"I-I'm sorry…. I just… What if one day you don't want me anymore?"

"Don't want you? No. That day will never come. I love you very much, Frankie, and-" He froze, and then looked down again at Frankie with worry. "Is this…. Is this because I haven't been able to spend as much time with you?" Frankie chose not to answer. "Oh." Sans' voice grew softer and he held Frankie tightly, "Look, kiddo…. I….I'm sorry I haven't been home as much. I have to work more now that we have to pay off your mom's hospital bills…. And… well, you know Uncle Paps and his collection of Spaghetti." He chuckles a little.

"I kn-know… I'm sorry. I…. I know that's what it is." It was an irrational fear, he knew that from the start.

"Look. How about…. I afternoon just for you? Maybe every Saturday we can go out for icecream and then play monopolop?"

"Really?"

"Sure." Sans chuckled.

"Starting tomorrow?"

"Starting tomorrow." Sans nodded.

"Okay!" He grinned. "Th-thanks, Dad! You're the best."

* * *

Riley slipped into bed next to her boyfriend, settling in next to him and kissing his cheekbone gently. He smiled and then yawned.

"Mmm…"

"How'd your day with Frankie go?"

"It was fun. I think he had a good time." Sans chuckled.

"I'm glad." She sighed. "Umm… Sans?"

"Yup?" He grinned.

"The other day…. Well… we said we would talk about…. some day…." She frowned.

"Having another kid?" Sans said, looking over at her with wide eyes.

"S-someday." She nodded.

"Riley, I… I would love to raise another kid with you." He grinned. "If- If that's what you want."

"Yes! Y-yes! That's what I want!" She laughed, taking his hand happily. "A baby?"

"A baby…." He looked over at her nervously.

"You'd be a wonderful father." She smiled, kissing him on the cheekbone again. "I mean, you already are, but… A baby, I would love to have a baby. Like Mizuko!"

"If you want a baby, sweetheart, we'll adopt a baby." He chuckled. "But… maybe not quite yet."

"No… we'll wait until we're ready." She nodded. _Maybe when we're married._ When. She hadn't thought that way before. But she felt that their relationship, 'Sansley' as Undyne and Alphys consistently called them, wasn't a 'maybe' anymore. And…. marriage? They hadn't talked about marriage before, but she thought maybe someday….

"Sans?"

"Yeah?" He murmured. It was obvious he was close to falling asleep.

"Do you think… someday we might get married?"

"Married?" He smiled, looking over at her sleepily. "I think someday." He nodded, gently squeezing her hand, "Someday. Soon."

* * *

 **REVIEWS FOR CHAPTER FORTY-TWO:**

 **Cocoa the Wolf:** I almost squealed when Mizuko came in. I NEED THE SMOL FISH.

I read the review responses and... A plot twist? Gonna get worse? You want me to cry, don't you?

 _Yas Mizuko. It's not... 'worse' It's actually really clever if I do say so myself- though the main idea was my cousin's. And I think you guys are going to like it._

 **MachUPB:** Well. Gaster's interesting. Kind of a jerk, huh.  
Mizuko sounds so cute. But nothing, I repeat NOTHING, is cuter than Sans being afraid to hold babies. It's adorable. :3  
Awesome chapter, can't wait until the next! :)

 _Yes. Gaster is really an ass._

 _Lol. You're really gonna love the extended epilogue._

 **aduralove:** Undyne and Alphys baby, so cuuuuuuteeee! And his name sounds like something from an anime. lol. And, machine to stop resets? With Gaster trapped inside? I love it. And the possibility of Frankie being an older brother? OMG SO AWESOME. But, the rating is, what, T? So no lemon, right? Please? Thatd be great thanks. D. And Sans is scared of holding a baby. So cute, lol. 999999/10, would rereread again.

 _Aw yes! Thanks! I'm so glad you like it. Yes! I will say it again and again- this is T! THERE WILL BE NOT SMUT. lmao. I can assure you Sans and Riley are having fun in their down times but we ain't going into that jazz. Ha! You are also going to love the extended epilogue._

 **DezyBear:** *Climax intensifies* XD

 _Oh yes it does. :D_

 **TeresaCake:** Yay Gaster is here! Even if he's kind of a douchebag.

 _Yups! He's extremely important. And definitely an ass._

 **Ed's. Curious. Kitten:** This was SO adorable! XD Oddly enough, my OC's name is Mitsuko, so this made me giggle! Keep it up! More babybones! Yes!

 _Aww! I know, the name's adorable! And he's gonna be so badass when he's grown up. lol_

 **I guest as much:** Nice update! I can't wait to see what comes up next!

 _Thanks! What happened to your puns? lol_

 **SilerofWorlds:** Damn, Gaster isn't very nice, is he? Great chapter, as always!

 _Nope. He's a piece of shit. But. So it goes. He's also very important._

 **IKursteen:** OMG. I'm so hyped right now. It's 3 in the morning but I've been reading this entire series over and over again lol

And Riley is a little bit of a Easter egg for me since Riley is my middle name. I fell in love with her character after a while and the story has turned out WAY different than I thought it would of. I normally don't like the Undertale fanfics, but this one is absolutely amazing. All the original characters go with their personalitys from the game and the new ones also have great personalities.

and for some weird reason I thought Riley was a monster at first (THEN I realized she was a human xD) and I also loved how you had Undyne and Alphys get married and adopt that little fish kid of theirs. Keep rolling out those fanfics and I'll be a very happy person .

 _Aww! Ohmygod! I'm so glad you like it! We're definitely making a sequel after this one! So stay tuned for that. :)_

 **Guest:** Wow. Wing Dings is a real ASSter. Also I looked up the meaning for Mizoku. It means fetus memorial service...?

 _Truth. He definitely is. And LMAO. Oh my god. I had to google this. Yes. When you google Mizuko you get the result "Mizuko Kuyo" Which is a Japanese Ceremony for abortions, stillbirths, or miscarriages. Mizuko Kuyo literally translates as "Water Child Ceremony". The **name** Mizuko means "Water child" Or "From the water". Mizuko's a fish baby so... we figured it fit. _

**An Peepul:** Annnnnd... Gaster appears. I was wondering if he would show up some time. By the way, is Flowey/Asriel going to appear any time soon?

 _Yup! Gaster's very important! :) We're probably not gonna be having Flowey or Asriel in this fic... sorry..._

 **iamdaraptor:** 'H-h-he-llo. Ha-ve some resp-ect and don-'t spoil th-e game. [It's impossible to have mysteries nowadays] BECAUSE OF NOSY PEOPLE LIKE YOU. /Please keep all this between us./ If you pOST it onLINE I wON'T MAke AnYmore SECrets. {No one will be impressed} It will be your faaauuullt. Haahahahhahaahahaha.'

...

I'm kinda freaked out now.

And OMFG Fish Child fluffs. *barfs rainbows all over couch*

 _I'm confused. lol_

 _Yasss! Fish child! He is such cutes! :)_

 **Asriel:**...GASTER...I haven't seen that old fool in like a few thousand years...eh why don't I just jump into the void? Chara: *facepalm* asriel no me: ASRIEL YES

A/n: ...well let's have asriel and chara argue why not...great chapter...HOLY SHIT ASRIEL DONT KILL YOUR SISTER...um...I will brb I have to stop asriel from killing chara...great chapter  
...CHARA HOLY FUCK

 _lol... thanks so much! :D_

 **RosePines123:** I feel like red x should escape from prison, capture sans family and he has to get them back but with a price. (Too much gravity falls stuff) also what about the cats that Frankie owns? They haven't shown up in a while.

 _Ah Red X. I think for now they're gone. But I hope you guys like the climax. It's gonna be fabulous. A yes the small cats! D: I totally forgots about the small ones. We will bring them back. :D_

 **JustaRandomGal:** Omg! I can just imagine the the little fishy in Aplphys arms so CUUUUUTTTTTTEEEEE! I'd die of cuteness, but then I wouldn't be able too read more lol. Anyway if Sans and Ri adopted another I think it would be cool to adopt a smol human child :3

 _Awww yas! the small fish is adorable. And he's gonna be awesome when he's all grown up. :D And yes, Riley and Sans are going to have a baby, but I'm not allowed to say more than that._

 **Harris:** KIDS AH! I REALLY WANT A SANSLEY BABY! Also, cool of GASTER to show himself

 _Yessss! You guysssss Sansley baby! :D_

 **Jewelsy426:** Heyo! Awesome story you've got going on here!

So, I'm new to this story, but I love it! You are terrific writers and the whole story is super cute.

So, I don't know if you could write this in, but I kind of want to see a bit more of Frankie and Sans together. While I understand that Frankie is sweet and loves Riley a lot, he's also very young and has previously shown that he could consider himself a burden. While I know that through the help of Sans and his other friends he has begun to conquer those feelings, his time living in the street is still a prominent part of his life and has probably made him scared of being unwanted or rejected. And looking at how Wren just left, Frankie probably needs more of San's support. He has a fear of having everything disappearing before him, and that's kind of what is happening with Wren now. Also looking at the scene with the drawings, Frankie probably has thoughts that his father isn't happy with him. With all of those places to build up negative feelings, and with Riley taking up a lot of San's time, I can't help but feel that he should have a bit of jealousy towards Riley, or have the feelings of being a burden resurface.

So yeah... I don't think Uncle Pap can fix everything with his spaghetti, no matter how delicious it may or may not be XD

Also, it would be cool to see Sans possibly interacting with Frisk more. While I know he fears the girl's reset ability, he hasn't really interacted with her yet by himself, and he looked after her during the game. I would think the 2 would be a bit closer, enough that Frisk could talk to him about what's going on. She would be one of the only people who could understand him.

Anyway, thank you for taking the time to read my review, and thank you for this amazing story. Keep Writing!

-Jewelsy

 _Awwww! Thanks so much! :D_

 _I agree, more Frankie and Sans for sure! Everything you've said is spot on and we're going to focus a little bit more on that. It's going to be hard with the climax, but I do think Frankie's gotten better and he'll get better as time goes on._

 _Frisk and Sans... that's an interesting idea. We'll have to think about it. It's very hard to put in smaller stuff like that when we're so close to the climax. But I'll see what we can do._

 _Thanks so much for writing your review! It's great to hear from you all! Thank you! Thank you!_

 **Flowey:** I wonder if I'll ever be in this story? It's getting quite lonely down here in the underground. Maybe someone could like, pull me from the ground and keep me in a pot? I also heard of spaghetti night...?

Anyways, just get the message I guess.

IM GETTING LONELY DOWN HERE!

 _Hehe! I don't know if Flowey will be in the story. It's pretty unlikely, I think..._

 **Meow:** Im curious. Is anyone in this story (mainly the main characters, Such as the original Undertale characters and your original ones) are gonna die or something terrible will happen to them? We all know what happened to Frankie and Riley, but idk maybe for example Undyne dies? (I'd cry if she'd died since she's my fav character lol)

And what about Flowey? I have not seen a trace of him besides Frisk mentioning him. I'm guessing he's not gonna be in the story at this point? Idk maybe Asgore could go back to the underground and get Flowey and put him in a pot so he's not lonely. I don't think you take suggestions since I believe you have the story mostly planned out already but to silence the ones who have complained, maybe you could put him in.

 _I don't believe we're going to have any major character deaths. That would upset me :(_

 _I don't think we'll be bringing Flowey into the story, but who knows. I believe I said that about Gaster. We do have the majority of the story already planned out, but some suggestions are interesting to think about and who knows. Maybe maybe not._

 **Nightmare-Miss-13:** I LOOOOVE your story. I don't fangirl or ship and you two are making me do that with a giddy passion. GREAT WORK! :3

 _Awww! I'm so glad! lol, thanks! That means we're doing our job! Thank you thank you! :D_

 **Mr. Indigo:** Hey sorry for not reviewing the last couple of chapters, been on vacation the last few week with no wireless...  
Also... *fangirl scream* UNDYNE AND ALPHYS HAVE A BABY NOW! So freaking adorable! Also, are Humans and Monsters genetically compatible with each other to be able to make children in this story or do they have to adopt?

 _That's alright! I'll be going on vacation soon as well. One week of it I won't have wifi so I guess I'll be in the safe boat lol._

 _Yassss Alphyne baby! :DDD ummm... In this fic Monsters and Humans aren't genetically compatable. Monsters are made from Magic, Humans are made from matter. Sooo... they'll have to adopt. Or something else. Maybe._

 **agklover1221:** keep contuneing it

 _Yes, we're not giving up on this any time soon._

 **Guest:** Mizuko is sooo adorable! I feel like Alphys would be the one actually taking care of him, and Undyne would play with him LOADS.

I was also wondering... Can a skeleton and a human have a child? Naturally, I mean. Or would the only option be adopting, or IVF or something? Anyway, I have been waiting for the chapter with Alphyne's kid in it for ages! So personally, i'm really happy with how it turned out. I'm also really curious as to how Sans and Gaster will stop the resets... Anyhow, great chapter as always, and I can't wait until the next!

 _Lol, probably pretty close to that. But I think they'd work together. They're good at that._

 _I think some people have ideas about that, but in this fic we're sticking with no. Monsters are magic, humans are matter so it's not compatable. Butttt they're going to have a baby. Somehow. You'll see in the epilogue._

 _As for Sans and Gaster... you're gonna find out. It's going. to. be. fabulous._

 _Thanks!_

 **Guest:** Did you guys die or something

 _lmao fear not! We are still alive! :D_

 **THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR THE REVIEWS! It's so great to hear from you all and we'll be getting to work on the next chapter!**

 **-MH.C**


	44. Chapter 44: Make 'Forever' Come True

Riley was laying across the sofa, her head resting in Sans' lap, half asleep. Papyrus was just finishing putting lasagna in the oven and Frankie was talking to Frisk on skype. She had finally gotten her hand and leg casts removed and was free, thought the doctor suggested she did nothing rigorous since her bones were still weak. Sans of course, took that to heart, and was once again being extremely protective of her. Which was alright… sometimes.

"Hey dad!" Frankie rushed into the living room excitedly. Riley sat up with a yawn.

"What's goin' on kiddo?" Sans chuckled.

"Frisk just told me something really cool!"

"What's that?" Riley smiled.

"Humans have skeletons inside them!" Riley laughed a little and looked over at Sans, who blinked and then snickered, trying really hard not to laugh out loud,

"H-hh…. Your… heh…. Your mom had two." And then he puts his head in his hands laughing.

"What?" Frankie frowned. Riley felt her whole face burn. _Oh my god._

"S-sans!"

"You have two skeletons inside you mom?!"

"I didn't…" He trails off laughing again. "I didn't say 'have'. I said _had_ and will again."

"Not if you don't shut up." Riley glared. Sans' jaw snapped shut.

"I… I don't get it…." Frankie frowned. "How… how can you have two skeletons only sometimes?" Riley glared at Sans. _Not such a hotshot now are you?_

"Yeah, Sans. Tell your ten year old son why I have two skeletons inside me when _I_ want."

"When you wa- Yeah! Dad, what does that mean?!" Frankie gasped. Sans looked over at Riley with wide eyes and slowly shook his head.

"Hey! You brought it up! Tell him!" She frowned.

"W-when...When you're older…. Kiddo. M-maybe a little bit older…" He manages to whisper. _She's_ the one laughing now.

"Older?! Aww…." And he quickly forgot. "Hey! Mama! You wanna play monopolop?!"

"Sure!" She grinned.

"CAN I PLAY AS WELL?!"

"Of course." Riley nodded. She looked over at Sans who was still staring at her with wide eyes. "What's wrong, lover boy?"

"I-I-I…. I shut up."

"You did." She laughed.

"C-can I…. Can we…?"

"Mayyyybeee…." She raised an eyebrow.

"Nnnnn….. You wanna kill me." He groaned. She laughed.

"Why don't you go get monopolop out, sweetie. We'll both play."

"Okay!" Frankie jumped up and raced to get the board game.

"Hey! Uhh…" Sans chuckled a little, taking Riley's hand. "I was thinkin'... maybe you and I take a little walk tomorrow by the mountain… we could pack a picnic or something."

"Just you and me?" Riley smiled.

"Yeah. A date." Sans nodded.

"I'd love to!" She kissed his cheekbone quickly just as Frankie came out with the board game.

"QUIT CANOODLING!" Papyrus shouted. "LETS PLAY!"

* * *

 _Dear Frankie,_

 _I'm sorry my letters have been coming so much later than they should. Things have been very busy here. We're getting ready for school. Daddy's putting me in a private school, like Miss Toriel's. It's much bigger though and I'm a little nervous about it, but I think it will be alright…_

 _I'm so sorry this letter has to be short because I have to pack. My daddy has a business trip in another state. I wish we were coming back over there._

 _I hope I can see you soon, Frankie._

 _Your friend,_

 _Wren_

* * *

It was a cool day, signifying the coming of fall, but the sun was still shining and so Sans teleported himself, Riley, and their little picnic basket to a park by Mt. Ebott. It was beautiful, they sat and talked for a long time, Riley leaning against Sans. She had never in her life been happier than she was when she was with him. God, she loved him. She squeezed his hand gently.

"You know what, Sans?"

"Hmm?" He smiled.

"You're my dream come true, you know?"

"You're mine." He sighed, "If I lost you I don't know what I'd do because… you found me Ri. You saved me. I… the voice? I haven't heard it in a long time." He stood, looking over the field they had set up their blanket in. "I think…. I think it was me… trying to protect myself from disappointment when… in reality I was only making things worse. And Riley, you've made me the happiest person on this planet." He pauses, looking down at his feet and then he shrugs. "You made me realize…. I can't be myself when I'm all by myself… I… I can't be whole… All this time, all this time I've been lost." He whispered, staring out over the field. Mt Ebott behind him towered above with what little snow it had so early in the season. "All this time I've been missing something. But Riley... I found Frankie, and I found a piece of myself. And then, oh god, Riley. I found you." He turned, taking her hands and pulling her up. "And with you I'm whole. With you... I'm complete, Riley. I've never loved someone as much as I love you."

"I love you too." Riley whispered, she smiled. He shook his head,

"There's more… Before Frankie and you it was always 'never'. I'd never be able to focus on anything but resets, I was plagued by fear. With Frankie I learned to focus on the present, to enjoy what I had in the 'now'. With you Riley, I don't just want the present. With you I look to the future. With you, I want eternity."

"Sans..." Riley whispered, "What are you doing?" He dropped her hands and fell to his knee,

"Please, Riley." He pulled out that little black velvet box he had treasured for the past month. "Please, say yes and make that 'forever' come true." Tears stung Riley's eyes, her jaw dropped, she couldn't breath.

"Sans!" She gasped, but it came out more like a sharp breath of air than his name.

"Riley Elizabeth Malloy," He whispered, "Will you marry me?"

She didn't care about the diamond that sparkled in that stupid box, she could only look at him and the eternity, their whole lives, that he laid out before her.

"Oh god!" She said, choking on her words and tears, she took in a shuddering breath. "Oh god, Sans. Yes! Yes! A Thousand times, yes!" She practically pulled him up into her arms, forgetting the ring completely, she only kissed him and held onto him. "Yes." She whispered again, crying into his shoulder. After a few more moments, he gently pulled away, and taking her left hand he slipped the ring onto her finger. Their hands clasped together, she kissed him through her tears.

"I'm yours." He whispered. She grinned, kissing him again.

"I love you… I love you so much."

* * *

"So… uhh… there's something I gotta tell you guys…" Sans grinned, nervously fiddling with a little toy soldier Frankie had left out. Papyrus and Frankie sat in front of him, waiting patiently.

"SANS?! WHAT'S WRONG?!"

"Nothings wrong, Paps. In fact, um… Everything's right. I have to tell you both something that you deserve to know before anyone else."

"DID YOU BUY A SPAGHETTI FACTORY?!" Papyrus looked extremely excited. "BECAUSE I'VE ALWAYS WANTED ONE OF THOSE. I KNOW WE COULD MAKE MY SPAGHETTI FINALLY FAMOUS-"

"No, Papy, it's better than that."

"WHAT?! BETTER THAN SPAGHETTI!?"

"What is it, dad?" Frankie asked.

"Well, I… I asked Riley to marry me."

"What?!" Frankie gasped.

"And… she said yes."

"WHAT?! WHAAAAT?!" Papyrus screamed.

"Ohmygod!" Frankie screamed. "Oh my god! Dad, that _is_ better than a spaghetti factory! I KNEW IT! I knew it all along!" Frankie pulled Sans into a hug. "THIS IS PERFECT! Ohmygod! I have to go tell Frisk!"

"No, Frankie, wait… where are you going?!" Sans called.

"I'm walking to Frisk's house-"

"You can't- wait, you can't walk there al-"

"SANS! THIS IS GREAT NEWS!" Papyrus screamed. "I'M SO HAPPY FOR YOU! YOU WON'T EVER BE ALONE AGAIN…. EH!" Papyrus froze. "BUT… BUT… I WILL … BE ALONE."

"No, papyrus, don't do this."

"NYOOHOO! SANS, YOU'RE LEAVING ME ALOONNNEE!"

"No, Papyrus- FRANKIE! YOU CAN'T WALK TO FRISK'S HOUSE ALONE!"

"ALL ALONE! SANS, YOU CAN'T MARRY RILEY!"

"It's only a ten minute walk!" Frankie called.

"No, Frankie- Papyrus, stop crying, please! Oh god, this is a nightmare."

"I'm home!" Someone called. "Frankie? Where are you going?"

"To Frisk's house."

"Not by yourself you're not."

"Mommmm!" He groaned. Riley emerged from the entryway, and frowned when she saw Papyrus.

"Papy, what's wrong?"

"YOU CAN'T MARRY SANS, RILEY!" He sobbed.

"Why not?!" She gasped.

"BECAUSE THEN I WILL BE ALL ALONEEEE!"

"Oh no! Of course not!" She quickly knelt in front of the tall skeleton. "You'll still live with us. The only thing different is Sans and I will have rings, and we'll… be together forever. A promise." She smiled. "That's all it is. A promise."

"I CAN STILL LIVE WITH YOU?" He frowned.

"Of course! Of course!" She nodded. "You're part of our family!"

"OH GOOD!" He sighed. "WELL THEN, I'M GLAD YOU AND SANS ARE GETTING MARRIED!"

"Thank you!"

"I SHALL GO MAKE THE BESTEST SPAGHETTI YET TO CELEBRATE."

* * *

Sans chuckles as Papyrus hurries off to make his spaghetti. Right now, Sans was the happiest skeleton on earth. He sometimes thinks about what would have happened if he never met Frankie or Riley, but he quickly shrugs those thoughts aside. With him working on the machine and the engagement, things were finally going his way. Riley went off to spread the news to Alphys and Undyne, who he's sure would be absolutely delighted to hear that their OTP was getting married. Well, human marriage. Monster marriage was vastly different and involved the merging of two souls. But… Sans was sure Riley couldn't do that with him. Human souls were different than monster souls, so much more powerful.

Though in the eyes of monsters they wouldn't be married, Sans was happy to settle for human marriage, much like Alphys and Undyne. Except, they were merged as well. Sans sighs, imagining what it would be like, to be merged. Must be nice. Merging was all done by instinct anyways, and Sans had never felt anything like that. He sits on the couch, switching on the TV.  
And then he feels a ticking in his soul. It was unusual but… right? It takes him a moment to realize… and then he knows exactly what this is. He needs Riley. He needs to merge. But…. Riley was a human. He looks over at her with a frown. She was sitting on the floor with Frankie teaching him a card game she had bought. She had promised to walk the little skele over to Frisk's house as soon as he played one game with her. She didn't seem any different, but Sans' soul was pulling towards her- he needed her more than he ever had before.

 _No! Riley's a human! She can't merge._ Of course, as a younger skeleton Sans had always heard stories about merges, or he had seen monsters who had merged. He had never heard of someone who had needed to merge and couldn't. He wasn't sure what would happen to his soul if he didn't, but he couldn't sit her like this, with her so close. He needed a distraction. Maybe if he didn't think about it the feeling would pass. He stands, with a shrug.

"I'm gonna run some errands. Papyrus is almost out of pasta."

"God forbid." Riley laughs. "Alright. Well, don't be gone too long." _I'll be gone until this feeling passes…_ As he walks by her there's an aching in his soul and he grits his teeth. _Okay…. Well…. Just don't think about it._ As soon as he's outside he teleports back to Snowdin. _Maybe working on the machine will be a good distraction._

"yOurE HEre earLY. whAT HAppENed to faMILy tiMe?"

"Told them I was going to run some errands. I need a distraction."

"aH. LYing NOw. YoUR giRLFrieND muSt bE SO PRouD."

"Fiance." He snaps.

"FIanCE? ….IS thAT a HUmAn teRm? YOu shOUldN'T bE soCIAliziNG wITh thOSE tyPES of PEOple." _Well…. I've got news for you, buddy._ The aching in his soul has turned into a burning sensation. He's never yearned for anything like this in his whole life, but god he needs to see her. _Shut up. Focus._

"Do yOU KNow WHy yoU SHouldN'T, sANs?"

"Yeah yeah. They locked us underground and mom was killed by one. I get it. Not all humans are assholes, Gasters. And besides, they locked us underground ages ago."

"WhAT's wrONg WIth yOu todAY?" Gaster's voice is irritated now. Sans chokes, leaning over slightly as a sharp pain shoots through his chest. _Dammit. It's just getting worse. Why won't it go away?_

"Shut up! Can't you see I'm trying to focus?!" There's a pause and then,

"DiD yOu insTALL tHaT pARt comPLETely upSIde doWN ON purPOSE?" Sans looks over to the machine and groans, putting his head in his hands. _Dammit. This isn't working._

"WhAT iS wrONG wITh yOU? HoW COUld YOu haVE poSSIbly miSSED thAT? ….waIT. YOu nEEd to MERge… dON't yOU. I SHoulD HAve knOWN IT wOUld be my IDIot sON WHo neeDS to merGE AND INStead wasteS TIME. SANS! ARe yOU LIstening to ME?! THis is A COMplete WAStE! IF yOU NeeD TO merGE, DO IT."

"She…. she's out of town." Sans groans.

"YOU IDiot. YOu can'T CONcentraTE IN thIS CONditION. GEt oUT anD merGE BEforE YOu kiLL yoURselF. OR WorSE- RUin everYTHing we'VE WOrked on!"

"I…." Sans pauses, leaning over with a groan. _Dammit. Dammit. He can't know Riley's…. I can't merge…. God, it hurts…._

"quiT WAstinG preCIOus time and gO Do IT." He doesn't want to hear Gaster's voice anymore, so he teleports out, to the front of their house. His soul is aching for her, it's burning to merge, but _Riley's human…. I can't merge. Humans… can't…_ He has to see her… He has to see her….

* * *

 **REVIEWS FOR CHAPTER 43:**

 **IKursteen:** Well, I am in a good mood today since it was my birthday today! Only 86 more years until I'm 100 years old!

Still hyped for the next chapter :D **and also:** FINALLY! I've been waiting for this chapter for a week but I was satisfied with this chapter. And it is confirmed in my mind that Sans and Riley are gonna adopt. I'm guessing it's gonna be another Skeleton? It was a little disappointing I waited so long (For me at least since the summer days go slow for me) for such a short chapter, but I'm excited for your promised long one.

And I know most of the story is focused on Riley and Sans now, and I know how hard character development is, but I can reassure you you and your cousin have don't a very good job. By the way, I checked out your tumblr page and you and everyone else's artwork was amazing! Can't wait to see more fan art :D

 _Well, happy happy birthday! :D Awww! Thanks so much. I'm sorry the last chapter was short. I'm going to try and fit in one more chapter before I leave for my missions trip. Anyways! I'm glad you like the tumblr. I gotta post some more things up on there! :D Keep checking it out!_

 **Asriel:** Sorry for asking this ...this is just a idea mabe...what if you introduce chara or asriel in the sequel that would be so cool and then either if you do chara sans and frisk will have a little more action..hehehe...but if you choose asriel well you can figure out the rest again...this is just an idea PLZ don't judge harshly :)

 _I don't judge ideas, they're always good ones, though I'm not sure if that would work with the plot in the second one. (We have so many plans its ridiculous) Hehe..._

 **Ed's. Curious. Kitten:** SO FREAKING CUTE! My maternal instincts are all over the place now! XD Keep it up!

 _Hah! Go maternal insticts! :D_

 **aduralove:** I love that Riley knows their ship name, Sansley. hahaha. And it's so sad that Gaster is being super mean to Sans about is family, and Sans has to hide that Riley is a human, and just, Gaster in general here is just, he is like the embodiment of, like, hate and possibly jealousness? And Frankie with the douting, ahhhh! That's killing me! And next chapter prediction: PROPOSAL!? THATD BE AWESOME! And. I did a review on your story on undertale amino. it's complete nonsense, but it basically says your amazing and to go read the story.  
999999/10 would rereread again. **and also:** By the way, I am fangirling about Sansley, and have been since they meet. So, a wedding? SIGN ME UP! I'm still fangirling. EEEE!

 _Yes. Yeah. Gaster's a jerk, and yeah. Hate is a good one for him. He has some evil plans for fun things. Holy shit. I didn't even see this review in my email but, you my friend, are spot on. lol. awww! I wanna read it! That's so great! Thanks!_

 _Maybe a wedding. soon. But you've read this chapter so you know it'll happen eventually. lol_

 **MechaSniper51:** Inb4 "Sans has blue d*ck bullcrap"

 _Uhhh... not exactly sure what you're trying to say, but I agree it is bullcrap. Which is why we're not going into details. You all have fun imagining, if that's what you're into._

 **nadiahardar:** AAAAAaaaAAaAaAAAAA  
GOD DAMN IT I LOVE EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS FANFIC

 _Hehe! Awesome! That's what we hope! :D_

 **Flowey:** Howdy! I see you replied to my question/message.

I also see I have a very low chance to be in this story. That's ok, since I did find this stuffed white bunny in the flowerbed after a while. He will make great company, since nothing ever happens down here since there's nobody down here anymore.

Bye bye for now!

 _Well, I'm glad you found a friend! :)_

 **Pomoki Carson:** I'm kinda glad tbh you decided to not have monsters and humans be compatible for having children, since some other weird fanfics I've read have had weird stuff. I know that you told us there's not gonna be stuff going on, (it is rated T, after all) so that's reassuring. I was a bit surprised sans fell in love with a human, but now I can understand Riley's a super important part of the story.

This is my first review, but I AM VERY FRUSTRATED I HAD TO WAIT 8 DAYS FOR A STORY AND I ONLY GET A BIT OF STORY! I understand if you need that chill time, though, so don't worry about my small rant.

Btw Gasters character is much better than I anticipated.

 _Yeah, I don't read much fanfic anymore, but there's some fun stuff out there. lol._

 _I'm sorrryyyy! :( More soon! :D_

 _Awesome. GAster's character is super fun to write too. *insert evil laugh*_

 **Asriel:** A/N:...great chapter I just wish some ...human and goat kid didn't break my leg and my arm...

Asriel: I said sorry...

CHARA: ...*takes out knife*

A/N:CHARA NO

CHARA: what ...

A/N:NO MORE ARGUING FOR A WEEK

Asriel:...hey I want to touch the sun

A/N: ASRIEL FUCK NO

* one intense fight later*

A/N : ...looks like I'm in a body cast GASTER is a little bitch...like always...I half to keep asriel and chara from infiltrating the story and sans is a lazy shit Frankie is a ptsd kid who doesn't have the ability to sleep in his own room and papyrus...well he is just being papyrus...oh hey favorite goat child is about to murder his psychopathic sister...wait no chara has a knife at his throat and...oh...oh shit...welp there goes the knife...into asriels heart...I swear I would murder these two if they were"not technicaly my fragments of imagination ...*takes out knife* that's right...you little fucker run...*asriel opens portal* *getting dunked on intensifies* ...dun...dun..dun HE GOT THAT NEW BASKET BALL HOOP WE PLAYED A GAME OF TWO ON TWO...I CAUGHT THE PASS TO MID-AIR AND I THREW THAT BOY DOWN NOBODY COULD BELIVE IT CHARA ROLLED OVER ON THE GEOUND PUT HER HANDS ON HER HEAD FURRY ASRIEL LOOKS AT ME AND HE SAID...

Asriel:...nice job

 _Oh my. Well... I hope they're both okay. lol. Gaster is definitely a jerk. But uh... yeah, be careful with those two. lol_

 **JustARandomGal:** Gaster... If you mess stuff up... I will bring you to life then kill you again over and over and OVER! *ahem* annyyywayyyy I am... Kinda scared that if gaster comes back and finds out Ri is a human that he might try to hurt her or worse :( Sans do me a favor... If Gaster comes back... I know he's your dad but plz... For me... KICK HIS WING DING LOVING BOOTY! I hope you upload more chapters soon I'm running out of fanfics to read XD

 _*insert another evil laugh* Maybeeeeeeeee... Maybeeeee noottttt..._

 _But yeah. We're gonna try and update. I'm gonna be on vacation for a whole entire month. (The first week is a missions trip and I won't have wifi.) But when I get back to the US in the second week I should be able to write in the evenings._

 **Guest:** So you said that the next chapter is going to be utterly fabulous?

Well, I'm more fabulous than anyone! (Lol jk)

FAB FAB FABULOUS!

Btw Gaster is that stereotypical person who only cares about bloodlines. Kinda reminds me of the Malfoy family from Harry Potter xD

I LOVE IT ALL!

 _It is fabulous, can't you tell? lol_

 _Yeah! Gaster's kind of like Lucius Malfoy I guess. Good point._

 _Awesommmeee! And thanks!_

 **DatOldDood:** GASTER is so mean! But anyway, great chapter(s). Plus, when sans fixes the machine, IF HE DOES, will Gaster come back? IDK.

(I'm still calling the voice-being-Chara thing)

 _Yes he is... yes he is... *insert another softer evil laugh* Maybeeeeeee... Maybeeee nootttttt..._

 **JunebugPokemon:** Sup, I'm Junebug! I just have some questions that need answers, comments, and compliments. First of all, I love your AU, it's so amazing! This is probably the best Undertale fanfiction I've ever read, you're such an amazing author! I'm thinking that Sans' voice inside his head is kind of like Chara- a result of bad actions that scars you forever and ever. And Wing Dingus Asster finally showed up... Does this mean that Sans used to be a scientist? Or was he being trained to be one, AND a lab rat for a determination experiment? I knew Gaster would show up sometime, but why'd you make him an Asster? I like his character ;( . And who is the controller of the timeline? You said that Flowey/Asriel wasn't going to exist in this AU, and that Frisk didn't seem to know about it, so is it going to be yet another human, or will the plot twist be that Sans' Determination abilities make him able to reset the timeline without meaning to? And is Chara going to be in this AU anywhere? And as for the new characters, where are all the names coming from? And where are the small cats and Justice? They disappeared :( . And OMG I just read the whole story in like a week and am now waiting... I need my fill of Sansley! Raar, this review is all over the place. It has been like three days and you need to update! I need my fanfiction! Anyways, you're a great writer and this is easily my favorite fanfiction out of all that I have read. I love that you haven't changed the original characters' personalities (That is seen too much) and the new characters that you created have amazing personalities and fit in so well. You write so well that I bet you could rival even J. K. Rowling (Harry Potter) and Suzanne Collins (Hunger Games)! Well, maybe not THAT good, but close enough! Please keep writing as long a there is material to write on! Wow this review took way too long to write... See ya later! WRITE ON!

 _I think earlier when Sans and Gaster were talking they talked abit about how Gaster was trying to train Sans to take on the scientist mantle because its a tradition of their family. So he was training Sans before he was erased from existence. Gaster has some fun plans. That's why. The controller of the timeline?! *gasp* Shhhhhhhhhhhhh! Secrets! You all will find out soon. In a couple of chapters I think. I don't believe Chara will show up at all in this AU, no..._

 _Names? For like the OCs? We just sort of came up with those. Franklin is a font, so for skeletons you know... fonts. Riley and Iro were my cousin's ideas. The cats' names we worked on together. I think Mizuko was also my cousin. The cats are around. They're cats so... but yeah I guess we should mention them some more._

 _Oh my god, thanks sooooo much! That's amazing! :D Wow! Thanks! :D_

 **An Peepul:** Gaster seems like an evil(ish) person. Is he going to be the bad guy of the story? (I guess not because that might spoil the story)

 _Why do you ask I mean... maybe... I mean no._

 **Harris:** I was so happy when this updated, it's been awhile! This is my favorite fanfiction ever!

 _Awww! That's awesome! We're so glad! :D_

 **MachUPB:** Awesome chapter. I was just thinking, does Gaster know that the barrier is broken? He'd probably comment on that if he knew.  
Cool to see Sans and Frankie will be spending more time together. Maybe Frankie can visit Wren sometime soon?  
I look forward to the next amazing chapter. :)

 _Yeah, he knows. Sans has worked on the machine during many of the resets because it's supposed to stop the reset from happening. Gaster knows about the resets because he kind of exists within time. Sort of... He doesn't exist but he does. It's weird. As for Wren... uhhh... maybe?_

 **THANKS ALL for the fabulous reviewssssss! :DDDD See you on the next chapter! :D**


	45. Chapter 45: I Can Feel You

**Hi, all!**

 **This is the final update before my missions trip. My missions trip is a week long trip and then after it's over I'll be on vacation for three weeks. I will have internet access in those three weeks, however, it will only be in the late evenings and early mornings because we'll be doing things during the day, I believe. We will still try and stick to posting regularly during those three weeks but I can't make any promises. The first week I will have no internet access so there won't be any posting. See you all soon!**

 **And also: Here you see our big AU! Soul-merging. :)**

 **-MH_C**

* * *

 _Something's wrong with me._ Riley stared up at the ceiling of their bedroom. _Something started yesterday, and…_ It had just gotten worse, the increasing, throbbing pain. The agonizing need for… Sans. Just Sans. It had started like a burst of emotion. A realization? She loved him. Oh god, she loved him more than anything. Now… it had escalated to actual physical pain. _Something's wrong._ But it was unlike anything she'd ever heard off. Why did everything hurt?

"Hey." Sans' voice was soft as he entered their room, gently shutting the door behind him. She saw his clenched fists, and the way he tried not to look at her. She instantly set aside her own pain, though it was turning into agony as he drew closer, and she focused on him.

"Sans." She whispered. "What's wrong?" The skeleton stood at the foot of their bed. She could see the pain in his eyes, the longing. He took another step towards her and her hands began to tremble. She bit her lip, trying to hold in her agony. Her breath came unevenly. _Something is really, very wrong._

"I'm fine." Sans replied, but he spoke almost through his teeth. Riley took in a shuddering breath, but couldn't stand the anguish anymore. Tears filled her eyes as she looked up at him.

"I'm not." Concern instantly replaced the yearning in Sans' eyes.

"R-riley, what's wrong?" Sans whispered, sitting next to her on the bed. Her whole body burned. She _needed_ him. And yet when he touched her knee it was like fire.

"I… I don't know… how…" She bit her lip again, hard.

"Riley." Sans said. He raised a shaking hand to wipe away the blood she drew.

"Don't! Don't touch me." Riley gasped. She leaned her head against her knees. "It hurts… so bad, Sans. God, I… I don't know what's wrong with me, but I _need_ you, and it hurts… it's burning me." Her whole body shook. Sans' eyes widened.

"Y-you can feel it?" He said.

"Feel what?!" Riley moaned.

"Our souls, Riley." He said, wincing, "They… they need to merge."

"What?! What does that mean?" Riley sighed. Sans looked down at his shaking hands, clenching them into fists again.

"It's… It's a ceremony, sort of. Very sacred to monsters. It's difficult to explain but, when monsters feel a true, pure, unconditional love towards another they feel… this."

"'This' meaning…?" Riley was beginning to feel sick. _This whole explanation part? Can we skip it, Sans? God, please. I need… I need you._

"It's like… a sign. Instinct, really." Sans replied. "When you feel this way, like we are, your souls need to merge. The soul-merging ceremony is an act of unconquerable love." Sans whispered. "It's undeniable proof that the two who feel this way, the two that participate in this ceremony, will be together- forever."

"It's a vow?" Riley said.

"Uhh…It's a bit more extreme." Sans said. "In this merging, the souls exchange… pieces, I suppose. So, half of my soul would become half of your's, and half of your's would become half of mine. We would, in a sense, be one. When and after the souls have merged we feel one another more… deeply, more… clearly. We feel each other's emotions, our needs. We're connected forever. This isn't something that can be reversed. It's eternal. Once our souls are merged it can't be undone."

"How do we do it?" Riley whispered.

"I don't… Riley, listen, I don't think-"

"Sans, god, please! Please, I need…"

"Listen, you're a human, Riley. I don't know what will happen. I didn't know humans could do this. If I had known you were feeling this, I would… I would have said something sooner."

"If… If I'm feeling this, doesn't it mean that I'll be able to do it?" Riley gasped.

"I… Maybe. I don't know." Sans whispered, "And if so, I don't know how your body, how my body, would react. I would have part of your soul- a human soul- in me, and you… you would have part of my soul in you. Setting aside the fact that this ceremony wasn't made for humans to begin with."

Riley let out a shuddering breath. "Sans, p-please… we have to. We have to do this."

"If something were to happen… I would never be able to-"

"Sans. I'm not afraid. I love you too much to be afraid. Sans, please, I feel like I'm dying. I _need you._ "

"Okay…" Sans nodded slowly, "Okay."

"How do we do it?" Riley asked. Sans climbed onto the bed so he was facing her. He took her hands and an unbelievable yearning filled her. Sans leaned his skull on her forehead.

"I love you, Riley." He whispered. She wasn't sure if that was part of the ceremony, but she responded.

"I love you too."

"Close your eyes." He said, "And… focus on me." She took in a shuddering breath. Sans. _Sans. God, I love him. Everything about him. His stupid puns, his laugh, his hugs. I love him._ Somehow, this singular emotion was blooming within her, growing stronger with every thought she had. "Let go. Let go of everything you've been feeling." Sans said. "Let it be free." She did as he instructed, and she was overwhelmed by her emotions. She leaned in, closer to him. There was a sharp pain.

Sans pulled away slightly. Riley opened her eyes. _Is that…?_ Her soul. It was green, glowing softly. It was so beautiful. She had never seen anything like it. And there… there was Sans' soul. White. Different, but just as beautiful. In that moment she felt so alive, and so loved. It wasn't until Sans brushed a hand across her cheek that she realized she was sobbing. Looking up into his eyes she found he was crying too. As they stared at one another their souls merged. The sudden waterfall of emotions that hit Riley made her gasp aloud.

They weren't her's. They were Sans'. She could feel him, and through it she _knew_ him. She closed her eyes, trying to sort through the cascade of foreign feelings. She felt his fear, she understood them more now than she ever had. Terror that he would lose Frankie, anguish that he might lose her. And still, a deep lingering fear that there might be a reset. _Because what am I without you?_ Then there was fury, a terrible anger. Riley could hardly breath as it grew in measure. _I'll destroy them for touching Frankie. For touching Riley. If they touch my family, I'll bring them down._ Anger was quickly replaced with something else. It was a softer emotion, like it was fading away. But it burned, still, when she felt it. _Why is she with him? He's not that funny. Doesn't she realize how I feel?_

Happiness. She was suddenly, indescribably happy. _I'm glad you're here, Riley, with me. Sure, I'll play monopoly with you, kiddo! It's good to see you too, Papy. It's Tuesday… Spaghetti Night._ And then, stronger and more powerful than all the rest- love. Such an overflowing, powerful feeling Riley couldn't breath. _I love you, Paps. You're the best brother. I'll always love you, Frankie. I love you, Riley. God, I love you. More than anything._ It was an emotion filled with warmth, with joy. And through it, she felt complete.

She opened her eyes again, all feelings still crashing around her like the waves of the sea. Their souls were separating again. And she looked up to see that her's was now half white- half his- just as his was half green. _It's meant to be. It's meant to be…_ Her soul came back into her. She breathed in, feeling him. Loving him more than ever. She looked up at him, "I feel you." She whispered, reaching out and touching his cheekbone. "Sans, I…" She breathed in, feeling an enormous wave of his emotions. "I… love you…."

* * *

Sans watched in awe as Riley's soul pulled away from her. Green. _Kindness._ His own soul pulled out of him, the upside down white heart slowly moving towards her beautiful green one. Riley was crying. _Oh god- is it too much? Is she okay?_

He reaches up and wipes away her tears, he didn't notice that he was crying too. And then the souls met. Sans gasps, unable to breathe, unable to move.

He can _feel her._ The flood of emotions took him by surprise, a static-like feeling passing through his bones, followed by an excruciating pain that almost made him cry out in agony. _Dad! Leave mommy alone! Please!_ Sans' breathing became more sporadic as he delved deeper into the pain. _Mommy? Why did dad hit you?_ He gasped aloud with the next emotion, sorrow. Horror. Shock. _Where's Ally? Where's my sister? Mom, my face hurts…_ Sans choked back another cry, _Ally!? Ally?! Why did she have to… Why did she have to die?! It's not FAIR! ITS NOT FAIR!_ Anger. Denial. _What's the point? Why am I alive? Why didn't I die in that fire?_

But soon, those emotions died down, Replaced by a more secluded string of feelings, _I don't need anyone. No one needs me, either. This apartment is perfect. Just for me._

Next, happiness. The sensation was wild and filled Sans with a warm and fuzzy feeling. _I love my new friends! I'm lucky to have friends like them!_ Sans loved this feeling, but unfortunately, it didn't last long, as fear shot through his body like a chill.

 _I'll never see them again, now. I'm back to being alone… Hopeless. I miss Sans…_ The warmth returns, and something else? Embarrassment? Longing? _Oh god, what do i do? I… I like him. A lot._

Desire. Tension. _Oh my god. We're dancing. Together! I feel like I'm walking on air._ The next feeling was the most intense, Sans desperately tries to stop from shaking, his eyes snap shut.

 _I love him. I love Sans. I love his smile. His voice. His stupid jokes. I love Frankie too! And Papyrus! We're a family now… I have a family again._ The emotions began to fade as the souls pull apart, his soul was half white, half green. And so was hers. _It… It worked… It worked!_

As soon as his soul disappeared back into his chest, he looked at Riley, who smiled back, her face wet with tears. He felt whole.

"I feel you," Riley whispered, her voice shaking. She reached a hand out, pressing it against his cheekbone, "Sans… I love you…" He smiles widely. _I know._

Something clenches in his soul. _No. NO! Something's wrong!_ Riley's eyes flutter closed as she falls into his arms.

"R-Riley…?" _Oh god, why did I let her do this? She's not moving._ He shakes her,

"RILEY?!" He freezes, feeling the shallow rise and fall of her chest. She was breathing. _Oh god. Please wake up, Riley… I love you so much. I love you so, so much. Please…_

* * *

Riley woke up with a gasp, she was on her bed, still wrapped tightly in Sans' arms. The moment she thought of him, her whole body filled with a warm tingly feeling.

"Th-thank god." He whispered. "Are you… how are you…?" She blinked, taking his hand in her's, leaning against him, and looking up.

"I feel…" She took in a deep breath, "warm…" He leaned his skull against her forehead.

"You feel it?" He asked softly.

"I feel you." She replied, turning so she could kiss him. He leaned into her kiss. When she pulled away, she still smiled up at him. "You're happy." She said, "I can feel… how you feel." She frowned. "I've never…. I never thought something like this was possible."

"I was afraid it wasn't. I was afraid…" He looked down. She felt his worry, his fear.

"Sans." She whispered. "Look at me." As soon as his eyes met her's again she felt warmth building up inside her. "We don't need to dwell on that. It worked, it's done, and… I have never felt more alive before in all my life…." she paused, biting her lip, "Do you feel this way?" He nodded slowly, his cheeks turning blue.

"They always said it would be like a miracle to finally merge with someone, but I never… god, Riley, I never really quite believed them until we were in the moment." She reached up and gently wiped away a tear that was slowly rolling down his cheekbone. He laughed a little, "You feel alright then?"

"I feel amazing." She said. She could lay there all night with him, legs stretched out, fingers intertwined, eyes only for each other. After a long, peaceful moment of silence she thought of something. "Do we… tell people… about this?"

"It's a very sacred ceremony, but more often than not it is celebrated among friends and family." He smiled. "We're _soulmates_ now." She laughed. "Of course…" He frowned, thinking of something darker. "We wouldn't… share what we felt."

"Of course not." Riley whispered. Seeing his expression she sighed, "What did you feel?"

"I'm sorry. This is… I'm too happy to think about-"

"I know you are." Riley replied. "But, it's probably better that we talk about it now."

"I… your father, Riley. Your sister. I felt all those emotions. Rage, hurt…"

"I'm so sorry." Riley whispered.

"No." Sans shook his head. "No. Riley, it's not something to be sorry about. Your father did terrible things and all your emotions are understandable, reasonable."

"It burned, didn't it? It hurt."

"Sometimes they do." He replied. She felt his sudden fear. "D-did… did mine hurt you?"

"I'm fine." She said. "They hurt like they should. Anger. Fear. But, Sans, everything… I forgot everything the moment I felt love." She smiled, "You… you have so much love, Sans. There's no need to dwell on those other things, and now… you won't have to. Because I'm sharing some of my love with you." She gently pressed her hand on his sternum. "Please remember that. I'll… always love you."

"How can I forget?" Sans replied. He looked at her a moment longer, and shook his head, "You remember it too."

"We'll remind ourselves together." She said with a laugh. He pulled her into his embrace again.

"I love you." He said.

"I know." She kissed him quickly. They lay there together for a long time, just resting, the thought of leaving the other too terrible to bear.

* * *

Sans pulled himself out of bed with a sigh. He and Riley had fallen asleep holding each other and were awoken rather rudely by Papyrus who screamed something about pancakes before dashing back down the hallway.

"Mmm…." Riley smiled, spreading out across the bed and staring up at him. "You're perturbed."

"Trust me, I know." Sans groaned. She laughed a little.

"Sorry… I… I just never knew I'd be able to feel someone else's emotions… and feeling your's is… amazing…."

"I know. I feel you too." He smiled, quickly kissing her forehead. "I guess we should go make sure Papyrus hasn't burnt down the kitchen."

"Good plan." She sighed, climbing out of bed slowly. He led her down the stairs into the kitchen where Papyrus and Frankie had already made an enormous pile of pancakes.

"Dad! Mom!" Frankie gasped, turning around quickly to hug them, but he froze mid-hug, staring up at them with a frown.

"What… what is it?" Riley frowned.

"Y-you're…. You're different…."

"Different?" Riley looked over at Sans. _He's a monster… he can sense that Riley and I have one soul now… Thought he probably isn't sure what it means._

"A good different!" He hugged his parents happily. "I love you both!"

"We love you too, kiddo." Sans chuckled, hugging his son tightly. _Very much._

"SANS! THERE _IS_ SOMETHING DIFFERENT ABOUT YOU AND RILEY….?" Papyrus paused, looking over them thoughtfully, and then he gasped. "SANS! IS THIS WHAT YOU TOLD ME ABOUT?! WHEN WE WERE LITTLE?! CONGRATULATIONSSSS! NYEH! I SHALL MAKE YOU THE BESTEST PANCAKES YET! NYEHEHEHEH!"

"Uhh… Thanks, bro."

"Thank you!" Riley was practically radiating happiness, Sans could feel her soul on fire with joy. _I really make her that happy?_ He had never experienced something like this. He had been with girls before, but… no one like Riley. And of course, merging was a one time thing. "Sansley", as Alphys and Undyne so fondly called them, was forever. He had never imagined… God. Riley made him the happiest guy in the world, now feeling her happiness… He smiled brightly, squeezing her hand gently.

"I love you."

"I know." She grinned. Sans' pocket vibrated and he realized he had slept with all his clothes on from yesterday, his phone still in his pocket. He quickly pulled out the small device and tapped the green button.

"Heya."

"HEY PUNK!" Undyne practically screamed. "Is Riley there?! You two absolutely have to come see what Mizuko can do!"

"Uhh.. yeah she's here, but we're just having breakfast…"

"THAT'S FINE."

"What."

"We're coming over." Undyne snapped.

"What?" Sans chuckled. "Now?!"

"Yup!" And that was when the door was kicked in.

"NOT AGAIN!" Papyrus shrieked. "CAN'T WE BE GENTLE WITH THE DOOR?!"

"Undyne!" Riley gasped, "Awww Zuko!"

"WAIT!" Undyne screamed. "Hold it! Woah woah woah! Wait." She blinked for a moment, looking over at Sans and Riley with wide eyes.

"What?" Riley frowned. Sans grinned,

"Somethin' different?"

"Y-y-you merged!?" She choked. Sans could feel Riley's confusion. _I forgot to tell her yesterday that other monsters can tell by instinct…._

"Y-yeah, but how…?" She began.

"OH MY GODDDDDD! ALPHYYYYSSSSS!" Undyne screamed. "ALPHYS FORGET THE BABY BAG THIS IS IMPORTANT!"

"C-coming…" The scientist appeared in the doorway and her jaw dropped. "Oh m-my g-god! Undyne.. D-do you kn-know what this m-means?!"

"YUSSSS!" Undyne screamed. Mizuko shrieked excitedly, though Sans was sure the small child had no idea what was going on.

"S-sansley is f-foreverrrr!" Alphys squealed. "Oh m-my god! Congratulations, y-you two!"

"Thanks!" Riley grinned.

"THIS IS THE BEST! Congratulations!" Undyne punched Sans on the shoulder.

"Ow." Sans groaned. "Thanks."

"I d-didn't even kn-know monsters and h-humans could m-merge together. S-since it's n-not a human th-thing." Alphys gave Riley a tight hug.

"I was concerned it wouldn't work." Sans frowned. "But…" He grinned.

"Thank god it did." Riley laughed.

"Oh my god, Sansleyyyy…" Undyne grinned brightly.

"So… what did you two want to show us?"

"Oh!" Alphys gasped. "Y-yeah! It's amazing!"

"Watch this, you dorks!" Undyne quickly sat down on the sofa, and set Mizuko on his feet on the floor next to the coffee table. The baby set his hands firmly on the table and Undyne gently let him go. And there he stood, happily.

"He's standing!" Riley gasped. "Awww!"

"N-not only that…" Alphys grinned. Just then, Mizuko caught sight of Spaghetti, who was making his way across the living room carefully. The orange cat made eye contact with the little fish and froze. Mizuko didn't. He _ran,_ racing towards the small animal. The cat's fur stood on end and he dashed away, Mizuko chasing after him quickly.

"He's running!" Riley choked. "Wow!"

"Woah." Sans chuckled. "He's pretty fast." He tried to imagine having to chase down a little kid like that. It was difficult but maybe someday he'd have to. With Riley he wouldn't mind having another kid. It was nice to think about. Spaghetti was not pleased, but he found protection on top of the dining room table.

"CAGAGAAGA!" Mizuko screamed, his face scrunched up in a frown. He really wanted the cat. _He is pretty cute._ Sans chuckled.

"Hey, kiddo… maybe you shouldn't chase Spaghetti… try and be friends with him, huh?" He carefully scooped the cat off the table (not that the cats really cared for him) and set him on the floor. "Pet nicely…" He tried to show Zuko how to pet the cat nicely but the moment Spaghetti was on the floor Zuko was after him again. _Oh well._ Sans chuckled. _I think I lost points for that._ The cat would probably like him even less, but at least he got to see Zuko smile.

* * *

 **REVIEWS FOR CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR:**

 **Ed's. Curious. Kitten:** *excited screaming* OHMIGOSH YES! TAKE ALL OF MY YES! XD I LOVE IT! ALL OF IT! KEEP IT UP! I'm willing to bet that Riley can feel this too, at least to an extent!

 _lol... Awesomeeee! We're so glad you like it and we're definitely gonna try and keep it up! :)_

 **SalamenceRobot:** AND THEN, IT RESETS!

 _Rude. That would be sad._

 **aduralove:** AHHH MY GOD FIANCES AHHH! When I saw that, I got out of bed, and jumped around in my floor speaking like the extreme fangirl that I am. And the two skeleetons inside your mom? omg, I can just imagine sans' face going, like, completely blue after that. Hahaha! But I hope Sans can merge... cuz otherwise I don't know what will happen, but I know it'll be bad! And will Gaster learn that Riley is a human? I bet the machine would, like, nearly explode cause he is so mad. But the 2 skeletons thing. Like, umm, INAPROPREATE FOR A TEN YEAR OLD! Lalala, I need to cover my ears to, cause I'm 11, lalalala, but I don't ca-are, lalala, haha. I loved this chapter so much. I fangirles do much. My family was like 'Whaaaat' so much. BUT I don't care! Fangirling! Eeeee! 99999999999999999/10 would rereread again eeeee! still fangirling!

 _Yasss! They're gonna get marrrrieeed. Well, technically according to monsters they **are** married now because they're merged. But... human marriaggeee! :DDD_

 _If Gaster finds out Riley's a human there's gonna be a bad time. It will be upsetting. But yeah, that joke's awesome. I'm sorry we couldn't help ourselves it was too perfect. lol. And also, so sans. Keep fangirling! It's awesomeee! :D_

 **Mr. Indigo:** Well, Sans may go crazy. But I'm sure it will all work out. It always has and it always will. Stay strong you two!

 _Of course it works out! :) Sansley is forever. :D_

 **PurpleLines:** Hi. It's me. iamdaraptor. So yeah I kinda got an account now, so yeah. Yay.

But that's not what I'm reviewing for. I'M REVIEWING BECAUSE OHMYGOD SANS PROPOSED! OH MY GOD! YES! SANS PROPOOOOOOOSSSEEDDD!

Bruhholyshitweneedtoseetheweddingwhat'sitgonnabelikewillFrankiebetheringbearerohgodcouldyouimagineFrankiebeingringbearerandeitherAlphysorUndyneorTorielormaybeevenCaitbeingmaidofhonorandFriskbeingflowergirlorwhatever'sthegenderneutraltermforthatandPapsbeingbestmanandohmi- *faints* *wakes up again* Wait where was I?

Also wow. Sans is really into this. Plus with all the pressure he might accidentally let slip that Riley's a human and make Gaster mad. He should probably talk to Toriel, Asgore, Alphys and Undyne about this. They're the ones with the most expertise in this field.

So excited! Can't wait for next update!

 _Yay! Hi there! Welcome to Fanfiction lol!_

 _Yasss proposal... and wow... I guess we'll see about the wedding. hehe... sooonnnnn._

 _I think the problem is Toriel, Asgore, Alphys, and Undyne don't know about the resets. And that's why he's not telling anyone. But... you're probably right._

 **nadiahardar:** When Sans knelt down I just-  
*HEAVY BREATHING*  
*TRIES TO CATCH BREATH*

*FAILS*

*MORE HEAVY BREATHING*

*REPEAT*

No really, I was literally about to scream. And not that little squeel scream, but an actual scream. I just managed to catch myself before doing that, resulting in me breathing super heavily trying to get my composure back. Keep in mind that it was the middle of night. And it didn't help that I was grinning so much it hurt, you don't understand my pain. This fic is to amazing for its own good (I don't know what that means?).

*keeps throwing positive insults at you.*

"That'll teach them."

((holy shit gaster wtf))

(((and I didn't know monsters from your universe had to merge.)))

((((although they could use this to avoid telling frankie what they mean by 'two skeletons' ( ͡ ͜ʖ ͡ ) ))))

(((((if they can pull it off)))))

((((((and if that's what you meant by 'merging'))))))

 _Wow! That's awesome! Thanks so much! :D We knew you guys would all like the proposal scene. :)_

 _Yeah Gaster's a jerk..._

 _Umm... I'm not sure what you mean by merging, but... this 'ceremony' was something my cousin and I made up as sort of a monster marriage. So... yeah. It's definitely AU material._

 **Cocoa the Wolf:** MY INNER FANGIRL IS FLIPPING OUT YOU DID THIS HOW DARE YOU

 _Lol! keep flipping out. It's beautiful._

 **Nightmare-Miss-13:** Why hello... I am Nightmare Miss and I have been haunting this AU for a while... *inhales*OMFG! I LOVE this AU so much. I hate Shippings and you guys have me Shipping like the Dirty Undertale Sinner I am. YES! Sans... Defy the laws of physics and merge with Riley... JUST DO IT! don't let your dreams be dreams... JUST DO IT!. *regains composure* I apologize for my little fangirl moment there. it was very un-nightmare like. I will forever haunt this story! *Fades away laughing like a maniac*

 _Hello! Yas! He didn't let his dreams stay dreams. How'd you like the merge? hehe! You can haunt this story. That's alright with me. :D_

 **CitrisDragon:** Aaahg! My eyes widen just when I saw the title of the chapter! And now I'm gonna be in edge for the next one until it comes out! Gah! Why do this to me? Now I'm worried that one of them is going to die or I'm kinda hopeful that the merge will turn her into a monster. Even though I have no clue how that would work.

 _Sansley? Die? NEVERRRRRR! *will fight anyone who wants to hurt sansley* (not that you want to hurt them, lol) Nah, the merge is just a binding wedding ceremony, sort of. Riley and Sans' souls are one now. They physically cannot live without the other._

 **Potato:** Is Sans gonna die? Wait what if he actually can fuse with Riley but he doesn't think so...IS THIS THE PLOT TWIST?

 _Nooo! It's not the plot twist. This is our little AU. The plot twist is much more evil. NYEHEHEHEHEH!_

 **I guest as much:** Dang it, I was all like, " Awww, they finally have happiness!", then you go and spray sadness on it! Eeh, either way, nice update!

 _Sadness? But we fixed it... there much happiness now... :(_

 **Random Person:** PLOT TWIST  
Sans tells faster bout Riley and he goes insane and tries to kill her completely forgetting about his sons pleas and at the last minute right about when gaster is gonna kill Riley Sans steps in and Gaster kills Sans instead

 _You guys are all evil. This is hurtful to me, take it away. D:_

 **IKursteen:** Time to review again :D

Well, I noticed in my last comment I had a typo. I'm a perfectionist (lmao) and i MEANT to type in "done" instead of don't. Stupid autocorrect, since I use a iPad for typing stuff on this website.

FOR THE LOVE OF GOD FINALLY SANS PROPOSED. And now we all must wait patiently for Sans to attempt to merge with Riley :P and get married. I have a feeling doe it won't be happening in a month. More like happening in a epilogue? Idk at this point.

And I'm guessing we hit the plot twist? You did say after all it was gonna be obvious, but not * *super* bad. I could be wrong though, lol. But when they were on Ebott I thought maybe Riley and Sans would of plunged to the underground? (They would of probably just teleported out though if that happened. Plus, the barriers broken and you told us there would be no resets.)

I was overall satisfied with this chapter. It was a good length, but I feel like Wren is starting to disappear, and grow some distance from Frankie? I'm guessing this is intentional since she did move away, after all.

See ya in the next chapter!

 _Lol, that's okay. I guessed that's what you meant._

 _No, this isn't the plot twist. ...Did I say it wasn't going to be super bad? ...*nervous laughter* Oh..._

 _Okay, fine. yes. It's intentional, but for very good and important reasons._

 **RosePines123:** Oh so sans and riley have been busy? Well that's ... intresting? BTW I love this fanfic

 _lmao... that was our little hint that they have been. hehe. We're not going into any more detail than that._

 _Awww! We're so glad! :DD_

 **JunebugPokemon:** Two skeletons inside Riley? 0_0 ( I though this Omg they did do it and will do it again? And congrats to Sans and Riley, he finally proposed! Omg grinning like a fool right now ;) And merging? What is this new concept? So it's different from a monster absorbing a human soul? Is it possible with human X human or human X monster? So when two monsters' souls merge, do they become one entity, or are they two with specific connections or something? So many questions, but they will probably be answered next chapter, right? And when a monster needs to merge, does he/she need to merge or he/she will commit suicide or something? I'm still wondering who's controlling the timeline! You said it wasn't Chara because she's not in this AU and that Frisk doesn't seem to know about it. So either Frisk is a really good actress, or the river person or another random human is controlling it. And yes I do realize that you're not going to tell me yet, but I can't help but wonder, right? Also, will Gaster play a large part in the story? Will he ever get back to this dimension, or whatever path you have chosen for Gaster (stuck in a different dimension, just a Chara-like ghost soul thing, etc) Anyways, great story as always and keep writing, this AU story is amazing! Write on! .

 _(Yes and probably yes. and yASSS. PROPOSAL) So, this chapter explained our little AU of merging as a monster Ceremony that is like marriage. Ah yess... the timeline. Uhh, yeah I can't tell you. You're going to find out very very very soon. And Gaster... plays a medium part in the story. Maybe he'll come back maybe he won't. Guess you'll have to see. AWesomeee! So glad you like it! :D_

 **JustARandomGal: "** Sometimes she has 2 skeletons inside her" LMAO IM SO DEAD RIGHT NOW! And Gaster I sware to Asgore... Oh I can see it now... "If you have any reason these two should not marry speak up now or forever hold your peace." Gaster: "U CANT MARRYYYY! SNNNNAAASSSS MEH SONNN DUNT DO DIS!" Sans: "DAD WTF." lol here's another thing I can imagine... "So Alphys,Undyne me and Ri... Are getting married!" Alphys: *nose bleeds a little* Undyne: "HELL YES FUHUHU!" Lol ok I'll go now XD

 _I am sorry but Oh my god this review is beautiful. I love Gaster's little line. Everytime I read it it makes me laugh it's so perfect. A+ Character representation right there. Man, I wish there was a way we could fit that in. lol. God, I love it. "MEH SONNN"_

 _Sorry. But yeah, he's gonna be pissed._

 **Anonymous:** When I read the 'your mom had two skeletons inside her' joke the weirdest sound came out of my nose . Also is that implying something HMMMMMM?

Sansly has sailllledddd! If you listen closely, you can hear the screams of all the Sansly fangirls.

 _That's a good one, lol. I think it issss..._

 _Yesss! I'm so glad you all like it so much._

 **An Peepul:** DIS IS SO TENSE! WHAT IS GOING ON WITH SANS! YOU'D BETTER NOT DISAPPOINT WITH THE CLIFFHANGER! Also, Riley and Sans are getting married. FINALLY!

 _Now they are married! (In monsters' eyes) :D_

 **MachUPB:** The moment he thinks he's never felt the feeling, he feels it. Of course. :)  
Wait a minute. Just a minute.  
*Inhales deeply.  
YAAAASSSSPROPOSALISGREAT!  
Also, I'm just sitting here laughing about how people aren't getting any new chapters from the fanfics they're reading. I leave for two days and my inbox has blown up. A bit of contrast there. Though I do read about sixty fanfics...  
Awesome chapter, I'm really curious about what's gonna happen next. Is Sans gonna tell Riley about the whole merging thing? Are they gonna try? Is Sans just gonna try and grin and bear it, suffering for that later? Who knows? Not me. :)  
I look forward to the next awesomely amazing chapter.

 _I think this chapter answered all your questions, lol. what'd you think of the merge? Interesting concept yay or nay? *sings* I WANNA KNOW WHAT THE PEOPLE KNOW. Okay. I'm good sorry. lol_

 **Promoki Carson:** Good. GOOD! I am happy for Sansley and I hope they get married happily ever after. Gaster is a ass, as always. But who knows? He might come back and see Riley and her true nature. Her true sweetness and that NOT ALL HUMANS ARE BAD!

Like um, what happened to Brendan and Emma? And the cats? And Asgore and Toriel and their little flirting thingy from the beginning of the story? Well, this IS focused on Sans, so I shouldn't complain too much. Lol.

See ya in the next Chapter!

 _Brendan, I believe was pulled out of school. And do you mean Ella? It's Summer (actually close to the school year) So Frankie hasn't seen her much. Spaghetti was in this chapter. I have heard your pleas for the small cats. :) As for Toriel and Asgore. We can assume, now that you know about our AU 'soul merging' that Tori and Asgore are merged, and so it's forever. They're getting back together. I promise I'll mention it soon. :)_

 **Asriel:** Asriel:...so a/n is out of town so...CHARA want to infiltrate the story?

CHARA: nah I have to finish this damn ruiks cube

Asriel: i will tell a/n that you taught me the f word

A/N: WAIT WHAT CHARAS!

CHARA: HOLY SHIT I THOUGHT YOU WERE ON VACATION..  
a/N...no...I was masterbating

Asriel: what is masterbation?

A/N: ooooohhhh shit fuck I don't give a damn about your Uncle Sam...

Asriel: wait can I say hi to GASTER ?

GasTeR:HeLl nO BitCh haHahAHa

*a/n summons void destroyer*

GaSteR: SorRy sOrRy

A/n ...so that was something...see you next time? Idgaf

 _Well... It sounds like y'all are having a real fun time... I hope things settle down for you A/n, next time. It seems like you have a hard job._

 **Harris:** MY DREAMS CAME TRUE THERES A SANSLEY BABY

 _Well... I'm not sure it's physically possible, but eventually Sansley will have another kid via adoption...?_

 **THANK YOU ALL! So much for the fabulous reviews! :DDD I'll see you all soon for the next chapter! =)**

 **-MH_C**


	46. Chapter 46: Lies

Frankie stared down at the school supplies in frustration.

"Dad. I don't want to go back to school."

"What?" Sans frowned, "Kiddo, you love school! Besides, Mom and I will be there too!"

"Yeah but, Wren won't and…."

"Frankie." Sans frowned, gently pulling his son into a hug. "Frankie, you have other friends at school. You have Frisk, and Ella."

"I know, but it isn't the same, Dad."

"Hey. This year you're going to be in fourth grade! You're going to make lots of new friends. You're gonna have lots of fun!"

"You think it'll be alright, Dad?"

"Of course! You're very strong, Frankie, and I'm proud of you. This year you're going to have lots of fun." Frankie sighed. He hoped his dad was right.

"You and Mom will be there?" He frowned.

"'Course. I'm the janitor remember? And Mom's gonna be working in the library."

"Okay." Frankie smiled a little, hugging his dad tightly.

"I love you, Frankie, and I'm very proud of you."

"I love you too." Just at that moment Papyrus burst through the door.

"SANS!" He screamed at the top of his lungs. "YOU'LL NEVER BELIEVE WHAT'S HAPPENED!"

"Uhh…. You're right. What?"

"I HAVE A JOB! NYEHEHEHEH!"

"A… what?" Frankie looked up at his uncle with wide eyes.

"A JOB! I HAVE TO GO TO WORK TOMORROW!"

"S-serious?" Sans choked, "A real job?"

"AT A RESTAURANT!"

"Where?" Frankie grinned.

"ON THAT CORNER BY RILEY'S OLD APARTMENT! IT'S A CAFE, AND THEY SAID IF I WORK HARD SOMEDAY I MIGHT BE ABLE TO COOK SOMETHING THERE!"

"That's amazing, Paps…" Sans chuckled, "I'm really proud of you." He yawned and Frankie frowned. His dad had been so tired recently, and a little down. It worried him.

"I KNOW YOU ARE! DON'T WORRY, SANS! SOON I'LL HAVE ENOUGH EXPERIENCE TO MAKE MY VERY OWN RESTAURANT! WITH SPAGHETTI! NYEHEHEHE!"

"I'm…" Sans yawned, "...sure."

"I SHALL GO PRACTICE RIGHT NOW!" He dashed off into the kitchen to begin making more late-night spaghetti.

"Dad?" Frankie frowned, looking over at his father. "Why are you so tired all the time now?"

"Hmm… maybe I just need to go to bed earlier." He shrugged, with a big smile.

"Okay… Well… It is getting late."

"Hey… I'm back." Riley stepped in, carrying a lot of grocery bags with toiletries and some new clothes. She came into the livingroom, kicking off her shoes and collapsing on the sofa, not even bothering with taking the grocery bags up to her room.

"Paps just got a job." Sans frowned.

"I know." She laughed, "He's going to do great. It'll be good for him."

"It's getting late." Sans yawned, "I'm ready for bed, what about you, babe."

"Yeah. Let's get ready for bed, Frankie." It didn't take long for the little skeleton to get in pajamas and climb under the covers. Sans and Riley tucked him in as usual and he slowly drifted off into sleep.

* * *

Riley climbed into bed next to her husband, who was already drifting off.

"Sans…." She murmured, gently taking his hand and resting her head against his shoulder.

"Mhmm?"

"You...you've been so tired lately, I'm worried." She sighed. He has been sleeping, but it doesn't seem to be helping how tired he is in the day. "S-something could be wrong and-"

"I'm fine." Sans frowned, looking over at her. "I'm fine, I promise."

"Sans-" She felt a twinge in her soul. He was lying. "You're lying to me!" She choked.

"What?! No!" Sans shook his head.

"What are you doing? What's going on? You're hiding something from me, I can feel it!"

"I'm not!" He shook his head, and she could feel, still, he was lying.

"Why are you lying to me?!" She choked.

"B-because… I… you can't know. Not now…." He frowned.

"I'm your wife! I can feel your every emotion! And you can't tell me something about your health?!"

"N-no… It's… not that. Riley, it's hard to explain-"

"Try."

"I can't!" That's when they heard Frankie scream, and Riley instantly put it all aside as they both jumped out of bed. We'll be talking about this later- that's for sure.

* * *

"So… what do you have to say for yourself, little freak?" Brendan's dad slammed his bat down on the palm of his hand. Frankie couldn't speak, he couldn't even plead, and he couldn't move to defend himself. He was helpless, and still, the group of Red X lunatics raised their weapons and fell on him like dogs on a scrap of meat. Bats swung, and fists and feet punched and kicked.

"No! Please!" Frankie screamed frantically. "Stop! STOP! YOU'RE HURTING ME! STOP! YOU'RE HURTING ME-"

"Kill him." Brendan's dad hissed.

Frankie screamed with all the strength he had left and the next moment he was awake, in his bed, still screaming. The door burst open, like it usually did. Mom, first, in her robe. Dad next, his hands clenched into fists. Frankie knew his father was subconsciously ready for if… maybe just this time… it really was actually the Red X.

"Frankie! Frankie, are you alright?" Riley's voice was soothing. Frankie gasped, hugging his knees and rocking back and forth.

"Just another nightmare." He whispered.

"Do you wanna talk about it?" Sans reached out touch Frankie's shoulder, but Frankie couldn't help but shy away from the touch.

"No touching, Sans." Riley reminded him, taking his hand.

"R-right." Sans looked hurt. He usually was.

"Frankie." Riley whispered. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"No." Frankie choked on a sob. "It's just the same as the others. Just the same."

"We're right here for you, Frankie." Sans said. "Always." Riley nodded. Frankie rocked back and forth one more time, and then broke into sobs, falling into the arms of his father and both held him tightly.

"It's going to be just fine, Frankie." Sans murmured. His dreams were always so real. He had almost felt the bats, the fists, and the feet. They had almost hurt. Riley was rubbing her hand in circles around his shoulder blade. Sans was patting his back.

"Shh…" Riley whispered. Frankie knew what came next was the singing. But he didn't want singing tonight.

"Dad." He whispered. "Can I please sleep with you tonight?"

"Of course." Riley answered. Sans nodded.

"Yeah."

"I'm sorry." Frankie sighed.

"There is absolutely nothing to apologize for, Frankie. Everyone has nightmares."

"Not every night." Frankie sobbed.

"People who went through what you went through… they have nightmares every night." Riley said. She said it knowingly, and Frankie believed her. Aanddd… just on time:

"OHMYGOD! IS EVERYONE ALRIGHT! I HEARD SCREAMING!" Papyrus burst through the door.

"Everything's alright, Papyrus. Frankie just had a nightmare, that's all."

"Oh."

"Go ahead and go back to bed, Papy." Sans said.

"ALRIGHT! GET SOME GOOD DREAMS, FRANKIE!"

"I hope so." Frankie murmured. Sans carried Frankie back into his and Riley's room and lay him down in the middle of their bed. The two adults climbed in on either side of him.

"I love you both." Frankie whispered.

"I love you too, kiddo." Sans replied. Riley kissed the top of Frankie's skull.

"Goodnight, Frankie," She said.

"Goodnight."

* * *

Lying to Riley really wasn't what Sans had in mind, but he was so close. The machine was finally almost complete. He couldn't have Riley stopping him from going. Besides, he could handle it. Family in the day, machine at night. But the look of betrayal in her eyes made him have second thoughts. He sighs, looking over at Riley and Frankie who lay in bed next to him. The machine only needed one more component and it would be done. The resets would stop. It would all be over, and Sans could live his life.  
He cautiously gets out of bed, careful not to wake Riley or Frankie. Once that was accomplished, he teleports back down underground, to the basement. Gaster was oddly silent today. Sans gets to work immediately. He could read the blueprints pretty easily now, and the last thing they needed was a power cell from the core to power it. That was simple enough, despite the cells being in the Delta sector of the core. It was very unstable and was sealed off when it was determined unsafe by the workers at the core.

Sans teleports there with a sigh, the walkway that heads into the power room is broken and shaky. Every few minutes, a huge tremor would shake the building, knocking panels loose, causing the power to fluctuate. Sans reminds himself that this was the room Gaster perished in, and that if he were to fall as well, he'd share the same fate. But, the skeleton continues forward, making it to the power room unscathed. The walls of the room were lined with power cells, and there were plenty to spare. He grabs a few, and heads back to the basement, pleased that he managed this without getting hurt or killed.  
"FInALLy. Alright. LET'S comPLETE the MACHINE." Gaster sounds happy for once.

"A'ight." Sans sighs, taking one of the power cells over to an open panel, he slides it into the slot. Sans huffs, heading for the on-switch. Please work… Please work… As soon as the on-switch is pressed, a whirring fills the air.  
Sans takes a step back, the whirring gets louder. And louder. Something must be wrong… no! Dammit!  
"Gaster, what's going on!?" He has to yell over the noise, suddenly, a flash of bright white fills the air and Sans can't see. He shields his eyes with his arm. What the hell…?  
"Finally…" A deep voice chuckles, "I was beginning to think you'd never fix the machine, my son..." The light fades. Sans' soul sinks as he sees the figure before him. A demented reflection of his dad stands crookedly, a frightening smile spread across his melted white skull. His body is a mass of moving darkness, pieces of him fall off and appear to disappear into nothing. His form glitches occasionally, like static on a television screen.  
"Gaster I… I don't understand…" Sans looks at Gaster with wide, terrified eyes. Has his father returned? What about the resets?  
"I don't expect you to… You see, You always were way too… trusting. Heh. I needed to come back, to continue my work and… You were the only one who could help me."  
"But the… the resets…?" Sans was hopeful. Please… It has to work… please…  
"You're not very bright, are you, sans? I used you. This was all for my sake. And now I'm back. I'm back and i'm going to finish what I started."

* * *

 **REVIEWS FOR CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE:**

 **W0lfWarrior:** I really hope you rip our hearts out, reset the time  
Line and sans is still merged to Riley, God that would be equivalent to George R.R Martin writing Hahha

 _That would be ripping my own heart out as well. It would hurt too badly. I love them too much. Because a reset is a reset and if it did reset Sans and Riley would no longer be merged._

 **aduralove:** Ah, I was smiling through this entire chapter. Ah, Omg, it's just so cute! And then Undyne and Alphys are like, 'Our ship has sailed. Hehehe!' And Misuko is able to walk and run now?! That's awsome, and he's chasing after spagetti like my sibling chases around our cat. Ha. And The Gaster thing... he will feel that there is something different to Sans, and then BANG! He'll go all crazy. Like,' YoU MErgeD?' And 'LeT me SEe YOur soUL.' And stuff like that. And I'm sad that there won't be updates for awhile, so I can read it when school starts up agian, but I'm glad you guys are gonna get time off. Have fun or whatever you do on a missions trip... Well, I guess enjoy it all the same. And I sent you some fan art. I don't have a tumblr, but pfffffff, whatever. (am I like the only person in the world without Tumblr?) And maybe start doing school updates, cause school does start again soon, right? For me it starts on the 22nd. So maybe some Frankie school chapters! Or something. Anyways, wonderful as always. 9999999999999999999/10, would rereread again.

 _Aww yes! Mizuko is super cute! I guess now you know about Gaster, lol. He's a fun little bastard to write. Yeah, the missions trip was awesome! Oh I just saw your fanart! It's so cute! Sorry we hadn't posted it yet, I guess it's because my cousin's been ill and I'm on vacation we haven't been on tumblr for a while! But it's posted now! Thanks for sending it! It's awesome! Augh yes. School starts for me on the 26th of September. So I guess I have some time. For my cousin it starts at the end of August, I believe._ _Thank you, thank you! :D_

 **SalamenceRobot:** STOPSTOPSTOPSTOPSTOPSTOP IM SORRY I ASKED FOR FLUFF THIS IS TOO MUCH HALP IM DYIN HERE!

 _Ha! You are also going to love the extended epilogue... or uh... extended 'fluff'._

 **Emerald and Lazulite:** I'm slowly laughing.  
And dying.  
And more laughing.  
BECAUSE THIS CHAPTER WAS GREAT! The start was all feels stuff, and then that was seemingly thrown out the window and replaced with happier feels and stuff! Wow I needed this!

 _Ah! I'm glad you liked it! I hope you liked this one too!_

 **agklover1221:** YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS  
but wait what happens if it resets now, since they are merged? would riley come along?

 _No, a reset is a reset is a reset. If it resets Sans will be back to the beginning._

 **CitrisDragon:** Ah man. I smiled through the whole chapter. It was amazing. Now I'm kinda hoping that Gaster will sense Sans' merged soul, realize it's a human, get really mad, then Sans dunks Gaster for it.

 _Mmm... Something like that? Nah. You'll see._

 **Ed's. Curious. Kitten:** *reads first line* I KNEW IT! I'M SO HAPPY! XD Zuko reminds me of my baby cousin. SO FREAKING CUTE! XD I love it! Keep it up! I get the sneaking feeling Gaster is gonna blow a GASKET when he sees Sans again (and, therefore, sees his soul and its new half greenness...)! Keep it up!

 _Awww! Yeah, Zuko's adorable! :D Well. Gaster's certainly done something exciting._

 **Tortoise01Swe:** I laughed so hard when I read "Zuko" xD  
If you didn't know Zuko is one of the main characters from Avatar the Last Airbender. One if the best shows I know. You should check it out ;)  
Also amazing chapter, ca!'t wait for the next one :3

 _Yeah, we know. lol. And yes, that show is epic! :D_

 **MachUPB:** That. Was. Amazing! I'm sooooooooooo happy for Sansley!  
The merge was so beautiful. Like, I'm practically in tears of joy. Which is very unusual for me. :D  
I... really can't think of any more words to describe how awesome that was. Kinda nervous about this plot twist now though...  
I look forward to the next chapter.

 _Awww! Yes! Sansley is forever now! :D Don't be nervous about the plot twist. It's gonna be glorious._

 **Lynja Fairy:** Is sans going to get any upgrades in powers because he techically absorbed part of a human soul? Is Riley going to get some access to cool monster powers (shields of kindness, telekinesis) because of a partial monster soul? That would be fun, but a bit OP.

Monsters are all about the soul. Does this mean sans and Riley are not entirely monsters or humans?

Is sans considered a boss level monster? He is one of the "easiest" enemies in the game, or is that right reserved for Goat Mom, Dad, and KID (Asriel is a a young goat, also known as kids...)

So many feels...SANSLY, I am going to have to wait to find out what happens next! : )

O O  
O( ;P )O -  
O O  
Flowey the Flower however does not care for the feels. He can't enjoy fanfiction.

 _You're just gonna have to wait and see about the whole power thing, nyeheheheheh!_

 _Sans and Riley... Riley's sort of half monster now and Sans is sort of half human, but really they are **one** as technically now they share a soul. Sort of. _

_Uhhh... I'm not sure. We haven't really talked about what Sans' level is..._

 _AWww yas! How'd you like this chapter._

 _Don't be silly I'm sure Flowey loves this fanfic. jk lol._

 **PurpleLines:** Outside I'm somehow remaining stoic whilst grinning like an idiot. Inside I'm breaking down in hysterical tears of joy and excitement. Kinda like Garnet in Alone Together.

Also Gaster's not gonna be too happy when he notices that Sans suddenly has half a human soul. Yep. Not gonna be pretty. But oh well.

And the SOUL merging is a very interesting idea. I've encountered it on another fic, actually (Counting Stars). There the SOUL merging creates a telepathic link between the persons involved (which explains how the Dogi can finish each others' sentences so seamlessly).

And for all that stuff to happen during the merge...it's really personal, huh? Well what can you expect when you're literally sharing the core of your very being with the one you love

And I agree with Promoki Carson, actually. At first the fic seemed very real, but as the focus started to shift from Frankie to Riley and Sans' relationship, those tiny little bits of family life were left out. But I'm not saying that the writing's terrible, I just kinda miss those little details. They show that there are several other things ongoing and that the world doesn't solely revolve around this one person's life. That there are other people with their own stories to tell. I just...really miss that.

But anyways it was a great chapter. SANSLEY IS FOREVER! Can't wait for next update!

 _lol that's awesome!_

 _oh yeah? That's really interesting! And also it makes a lot of sense._

 _I hope this chapter helps with that shift a little. I'm trying to shift frankie back into the story as equally important to sans as Riley is. But... it's complicated, especially with our little climax here. But, don't worry. The epilogue is going to have a lot about the little real details of family life. heheh._

 **IKursteen:** Nicely done~

I wish you luck on your missions trip, and also I hope you have a great time on your travels.  
That was very intense, lol. Finally I see more of Undyne again :D but I'm probably gonna have to try and survive off of the horrendous fanfics while your gone.

AND NO GASTER! It's a almost older chapter again, lol.

Sorry for such a short review but I'll see ya in the next chapter!

 _Lol, not all other fanfics are horrendous. :P But, thanks for the awesome compliment._

 _No Gaster? Yes, Gaster. Lots of Gaster. Eternal Gaster._

 **Pomoki Carson:** I apologize for my typo. I knew it was Ella but I put in Emma for some reason. Sorry about that! And ok, guess I should get excited for Tori and Asgore getting back together. I'm gonna assume we won't see much of that though, since this IS focused on Sans. And Riley. And all that.

*Sans and Riley's first day married together* Act II, Part 3

Sans: RILEY!  
Riley: What is it? You sound really worried!  
Sans: Frankie's gone!  
Riley: We should head out and look for him!  
Sans: What if he's hurt? What if Red-  
Riley: That won't happen.  
After a while of searching, they give up. They remember its spaghetti night, a perfect place to start a search party. However, as soon as they open the door to Toriel and Asgores house...  
Everyone: SURPRISE!  
Sans and Riley: Huh?  
Frankie: Sorry if I scared you... I wanted to celebrate your marriage!  
Riley: Aww, Frankie! Your the best!  
Sans: Don't run off again though, ok?  
***end***

Soo how did you like that? I did it in a play script format since it would take less time to write (and less space!) so that concludes my review. Bye! Also wish luck on your travels!

 _Awww so cute! That's adorable. Thanks so much! So far vacation is awesome!  
_

 **Jas:** I really enjoyed this chapter. The concept of forever being bound together with someone by soul and feeling their emotions is quite interesting. But, I do have a question about soul merging though: If one the people who merged their soul with someone dies, what will happen to the other person?

 _Awesome! Thanks!_

 _Ha, um... If one person dies, because their souls are technically one, the other does as well..._

 **JustARandomGal:** Lol I'm glad you liked my little dadster thing XD anyway idk but for some reason I feel like after the merging thing Riley would be able to remember Sans if there was a reset... Hehehhhe one more thing "U MERGED? NUUUUUUUUUUU WHY U KEEP DOIN DIS SNAS?" Lmao bye X3

 _Maybe, but no resets for this fic. :)  
Lol. Gaster, chill. _

**Omegalavaking:** will you ever bring chara into the story? that could be handeled very well by you

 _No, Chara's not gonna be in this fic, but thanks for the compliment!_

 **Asriel:** A/n...still here keeping asriel and chara safe...and um...yeah asriel is in the psychologist because he came down with ptsd...

Chara: im going to kill all monsters

A/n: chara no I will harm you!

Chara: pffff no you won't

A/n: stabs chara*

*5 hours kater*_

A/n:looks like I have 2 kids in the hospital... Time to read underlust?...

Asriel: dad what is underlust?

A/n: ASRIEL WTF

Chara: it's sex

A/n ...Chara...

Asriel what's ex?

Chara it's pleasure and repreduction

Asriel: who can I do it to?

Chara: me

Asriel: how old do you have to be

Chara: * stares*...20

Asriel 0_0...ok let's do it!...  
A/n: ASRIEL NO

-so um...yeah this was something that actually happend on one of my YouTube streams where um...yah this happend...so I found this hilarious and I really want to share it with everyone

 _Wow. Protect that child. He needs to be kept safe and hopefully innocent. I don't believe he's actually twenty. lol_

 **An Peepul:** In the monster's eyes, eh? Hm... What could that mean... Oh. Oh no. Hoomans. Plz. No. DON'T DO DIS! PLZ NO HOOMANS! (Or Red X)

 _Nah, no humans are gonna notice except what they already have- that Snas and Riles are in a relationship._

 _But merging is basically monster marriage, so technically Snas and Riles are married now._

 **Nightmare-Miss-13:** Why hello... *inhales* YAS! SANS YOU MERGED! *regains composure* This was interesting... what will Gaster (the fabulous asshole) think of this... this Nightmare will be waiting... *fades away*

 _Yaysss! Merged Sansley! lol. Gaster obviously has a lot more on his mind._

 **Harris:** AHAH

 _Yes. Always._

 **Junebug Pokémon:** OMG I DIDN'T SEE THIS CHAPTER UNTIL LIKE FOUR DAYS AFTER IT WAS POSTED! TT But anyway, the Sansley ship is sailing along and a huge gust of wind just caught its sails! I'm glad they merged, but when Sans goes back to his lab, won't Gaster notice? I mean, green is a human soul color(right?), and Riley's soul is a strong human soul, so, Gaster is totally gonna freak! Or maybe, cause he is only kind of here, he won't notice? I'm leaning towards the first answer. Also, can we please get Riley's past cleared up? It's still kinda fuzzy. I need info! Mizuko is still kyut (no surprise there) and is pretty athletic. Also, can we have the ages of all the kids? And where did Asgore, Toriel, and Frisk go? And is Monster Kid gonna make another cameo? Will Gaster's followers show up anywhere? Like Goner Kid? And thanks for the clarification on the soul merging thing. Sansley is forever! I think it's pretty cool how you made Riley's soul green, for kindness, and how Sans' soul is white, but does that mean Sans is a boss monster? And Toriel and Asgore are getting back together supposedly, but can we see them again? And thanks for giving Asgore and Toriel a second chance, they usually don't get one. Anyways, FracturedTale is amazing, I love this AU and Sansley is the first thing I have ever shipped. Have fun on your trip, and don't forget to write as soon as you have a chance. Roar, why are my reviews so long? See ya, write on!

 _Gaster didn't notice as you can see, however he is having a lot of fun times right now. lol_

 _What sort of info about Riley do you want? We've had her talk about how her dad lit the house on fire and jazz like that. Ages...? Uh... So Frankie's nine, and Frisk and Ella are the same and Wren is like... seven? And Mizuko is almost a year. And yeah, we really have to bring Asgore, Toriel, and Frisk back. Did Monster kid make a cameo? I don't recall. Gaster's just gonna be fun is all. You'll see. We're almost to the twist. Next chapter. nyeheheheh!  
Awww! Yay! I'm so glad you like it! You're gonna ship a lot more in the upcoming sequel. And it's gonna fricking hurt.  
_

 **TheRandomDremurr:** Hi! This is JustARandomGal but I finaly made a real account and I want you to know that you have been a big inspiration to me. Before I read this story I never even considered making my own account but then I started reading this and it made me so happy to read and now I want to make others feel the same way! So thank you and I look forward to the next chapter :)

 _Oh my gosh! I'm so glad that we've inspired you. Keep reading and always write! :D_

 **IKursteen:** *does a fangirl scream*

OMFG WE GOT A KITTEN.  
She's a Siamese mix (quite the talker lol) and she is a rescue. We decided to keep her original name, Fenway. However when we were suggesting names Sushi was one of the nominees xD  
And I am happy to hear the cats have returned :D and I know this is a late and unplanned second review for this chapter, but I just had to.

And I just figured out Sansly and Riley have been having some fun. Save me from my already weird and ridiculous dreams I've been having lately xD

Btw once again, great chapter! I hope you are enjoying your vacation (I'm super busy in the summer too) and see ya!

*does a fangirl scream as she exits out*

 _Awwww! So cute! :D I want a Siamese cat so bad. They're so adorable!_

 _What? Lol. I'm not sure I can save you. Haha! See you!_

 **Asriel:** *meanwhile in the flat plain of the fivth wall* ...  
Asriel: um...hey an what does sex mean?

A/n:... Who told this word to you...  
Asriel: ...I heard it when sans come over to toriels house...

A/n: THAT MOTHER FUCKER...literally

Asriel: sigh...I also heard mom say *imitates toriels voice* OOOH OH OOOOOH SANS BONE ME HARDER

A/n:...where is chara?

Asriel: in the hospital

A/n: sans hurt her

A/n:*calls Riley and tells her about him and toriel*...  
Asriel: what does endaclositiumniuotituois mean?( I actually had to spell check that like 4 times)

A/n...I actually have no clue... *end of Drabble 12*

 _What. Why would you hurt riley in this way?_

 **Glitchy:** OH MY GOOOOOOD! Fangirling so hard right now! SANSLEY FOREVER!

 _Lol, yasssss._

 **O.O:** OMG I literally had to try not to scream.  
Gaster is a jerk.  
Are we gonna see more Red-X ass kickings?  
Great story, can't express how amazing I think it is!

 _lol yes he is. Red X is pretty much disbanded after Sans destroyed all their leaders, so probably not but there's gonna be a lot of fun with Gaster the Asster, I promise._

 _Thanks!_

 **IKursteen:** *Is going insane from the lack of posts for 9 days so far*

NEED...MOAR... NEED LOTS...OF...

More story's cause I'm going insane from the lack of posts even though you said you wouldn't post for a week and try to stay on schedule I'm trying not to scream out from my very insane mind since I like reading this fanfic and it's the one that makes me cringe the least and the only one I like.

AAAAAAAAAA~ *To be continued*

 _Shh... It's okay... Here is more story._

 **Guest:** The song 'My Demons' by Starset fits this story pretty well, from what I can tell.  
Great chapter!

 _Huh! I'll have to listen to it._

 _Thanks!_

 **Guest:** I have a question about the whole merging thing.  
So Alphys and Undyne did it, and now Sans and Riley have done it, but since Toriel and Asgore had a kid together I would assume that the merged souls too, but if they did how come they split up?  
And if they didn't, why not? After having a kid I would think they had merged souls sooo yeah...  
Cute chapter by the way! I adore Mizuko!

 _Yes, Asgore and Toriel are merged, and that's why I've been hinting that they're getting back together. They split up because of the whole soul and human problem underground but after being free they learn to overcome their differences. Soul merges are forever, that includes Asgore and Tori._

 _AWww! Mizuko's adorable._

 **Pomoki Carson:** It's been nearly 2 weeks... *Breathes heavily* I'm slowly dying from the lack of new medical supplies being delivered lately. *Groans* Lol, I'm simply getting more impatient from the lack of a new post. But, I do hope you do post before you hit the 2 week mark. I only have 2 more weeks until school starts, anyways...

Anyways, see you... *Heaves*

Hope that I get released from this hospital soon... It's getting lonely here. *Strains*

 _How do you guys keep track of this. lmao. Well, I hope this helped you! :D_

 **THANK YOU ALL! so much for your patience and amazing reviews! It's fantastic! :D Hopefully the next one won't have such a long wait lol! (But I'm still on vacation so It probably won't be three days exactly).**

 **-MH_C**


	47. Chapter 47: Riley the-- Human

**HEYOOOO I'M BACK. Lol. Relaxxx, guys. It's all good. We had the chapter all written up but then The internet stopped working where I was staying and then we were roadtripping back home with zero Wi-Fi. sooo... yeah.**

 **I think three days is a little of a stretch now, just so you all know. Especially with classes starting up in a week now. But fear not! Updates shall come.**

 **Plus, cool fact: My cousin drew the cover for book one right? I have completed the cover for book two. So it's coming soon! :D**

 **Anyways... Here's another cliffhanger for ya'll! Have fun.**

 **-MH_C**

* * *

Riley woke up in the morning to furious knocking at her bedroom door.

"SANS! RILEY! I'M GOING TO WORK NOW!" Papyrus shouted, before racing away. Frankie rolled over with a groan.

"What time is it, Dad?" There was no response, and Riley sat up with a frown. Sans wasn't in bed. He must be up. But where? Papyrus wouldn't have missed him in the kitchen…

"Dad's not here…" She whispered

"Where is he?" Frankie sat up as well, yawning. "Maybe getting coffee."

"Wouldn't have Papyrus seen him?" Riley remembered the conversation they had had last night, how they had argued- he had lied. To my face. He lied to my face! But she was too concerned to be angry. She slipped around Frankie and to the edge of bed to grab her phone. No messages or anything…. Sans…. Where are you? He was always back before she woke up.

She frowned, sending him a quick text, and tapping her fingers impatiently.

"Well?" Frankie whispered. "Is Dad okay?"

"I don't know… he hasn't answered."

"Call him, Mom!" He gasped, he was hoping it was nothing. Maybe Sans had just run to the store or something? But Riley knew better. She could feel in her soul that something was wrong. She quickly dialed Sans' number and waited, listening. There was a soft click.

"Sans! Thank god! Where are you?!"

Then a soft, intimidating voice, "I'm sorry… Sans is unavailable right now…."

* * *

"You… used me?" Sans stares at his father, becoming angry quickly. "So what? All this work was just to bring you back?!" He growls. That scumbag! I should have known not to trust him…

"Precisely. You see, I knew you would not do it voluntarily…" The dark figure grins, "So, I had to… motivate you." Gaster chuckles softly.  
"You asshole…" Sans glares, "What kinda father pulls that kinda shit on his son? Feeds his kid hope only to tear it away?!"  
"The kind of father who can return hope once I have taken it away. I can put a stop to the resets- I-I-I-" Gaster's form glitches, fading from reality for a moment before it returns, "of course… this is only a temporary form… the machine brought me back, but not physically… I am but a ghost. I do not have much time… I will need another favor from you, my son…"  
"Like hell I'm gonna do anything for you!" Sans hisses, turning to leave. Just then, something grabs his arm. An invisible force pulls him back, pinning him against the wall. Fuck… Can't move… He tries to teleport away, nothing happens. The hell…?

"I cannot allow you to leave… one day, you will understand… but you will never understand the pain i've felt… How would you feel? If one day, no one remembered what scientific achievements you achieved? If you spent years, spectating a world where everyone lives happily without you? I am going to return to this world, stronger than ever, and build a utopia! Everyone will know the name W.D Gaster…" Sans struggles,  
"You're crazy- let me go!" he clenches his teeth, his left eye flashes blue, a Gaster Blaster summoning in front of him. But the giant skull doesn't fire. He commands it to, but it stares straight ahead, at the glitching figure.  
"Ah… I see my blasters still remember their old master…" Gaster chuckles, patting the skull gently. It bows obediently. Sans can't move… he can't use his magic… Riley… Frankie… Papyrus... I have to protect them…

"Let go of me…" Sans continues to struggle.  
"I simply cannot do that… You see… I need a new host to complete my utopia…" Sans' soul sinks. He doesn't mean…

"My glorious utopia… Monsters will take the surface back… Humans will be exterminated, they will pay for what they've done. They made a great mistake, locking us away all those years ago… they thought they could do it without consequence… HA-hhA-hhha…" Gaster glitches again. Riley!  
"You- you can't do that! Humans arent the enemy… they've changed, Gaster. For the better…"  
"How could any son of mine say such a thing…?" Gaster scoffs, "You have changed, my son… What made you this way? So… sick in the mind? So… ill?"

"I've met humans, Gaster… friends… pals… they're not-"  
"SILENCE!" Gaster shouts, "You are a fool! All humans must be eradicated!" Sans' father moves closer to him, his pupils a menacing purple.

"Now- Play your part in my little game, Sans. I need a new host, and you happen to be here…" The pressure around Sans' wrists tighten as he tries to struggle more.  
"N-No… Stop!" Sans fights against the force. Gaster draws closer still, so he's face to face with his son.  
"You will understand one day…"  
Suddenly, Sans' phone rings. Gaster's attention snaps over to the workbench, where the cellphone lie. It's probably Riley… Shit… He can feel Riley's worry through his soul, so she must be awake. Gaster snatches the phone, looking down at the caller ID.  
"Riley the… human?" A menacing grin spreads across Gaster's face, "So that's why your opinion has changed… Your partner is a human… Disgusting. Repulsive. You have betrayed your father- EVERYTHING I STAND FOR!" Gaster glitches in anger, his face mangling into a twisted, angry version of its former self.  
"I love her. And there's nothing you can do to change that!" Sans spits, glaring. The pressure moves to his neck, choking him.  
"Let's have a little talk with 'Riley', shall we?" Gaster cackles, answering the call. N-no!

* * *

"Who is this?!" Riley gasped. "Where's Sans?!"

"M-mom…? What's going on?" Frankie looked scared, Riley wanted to assure him that everything was alright but she wasn't sure anymore. She could feel Sans' soul- he was terrified and furious. Something was terribly wrong.

"Like I said, 'Riley the human'... Sans is busy, but how about we have a little chat…."

"No!" She heard a muffled voice.

"Now, now. Interrupting is rude, son…. So Riley…" the strange voice chuckled, but it sounded weird- almost as if she was listening to static. "How would you feel…. If you just found out your son lied to you?"

"What? I- look! I don't have to talk to you! I want to talk to my husband. Now." She glared.

"Your husband…." there was a long pause. "Your husband." The voice laughed again. "You fool. Do you really think a monster like Sans could be happy with someone as pitiful as you- a human."

"Excuse me?" She choked.

"Mom… wh-who….?"

"It won't be this way much longer…. Riley…. Soon enough Sans won't be able to remember you…. But… that won't matter because well… You'll be dead."

"Wh-what? Who is this? Wh-where-"

"But if I'm going to get to work on that I can't be talking to you!" He laughed. "Good- AH!"

"Riley!" The voice was faint but she knew it well. "Whatever you do don't come look for me! Don't come under-"

"You've made a big mistake, Sans." The voice hissed. "Goodbye, human. Forever." Click. Riley shaking set the phone aside and looked over at Frankie. The poor kid looked terrified.

"Wh-who was it, mom?"

"I don't know. But you're dad's in trouble." She whispered. "I have to go find him."

"Wh-where?"

"I think Underground." She frowned, standing and quickly getting dressed. "You'll be dead." what had he meant? And who was he anyways?

"Can I come?" Frankie frowned.

"W-what?" She looked up at Frankie quickly. "...No. It's too dangerous-"

"Please, Mom. Let me help…" he whispered. She frowned, looking over him again. He was determined, scared, but eager to help. He needed his father to be safe.

"Okay. Okay…. You can come." She nodded. The kid had been through so much. He was ready for this. She could see it in his eyes. He nodded solemnly and jumped up to get dressed. Riley watched him leave to go to his room and then set about her own task quickly. Soon enough they were in the car and on their way to Mt. Ebott.

Frankie stared out the window worriedly, silent the whole way there. Riley glanced at him every so often. She was worried about him. But he was strong- and she was proud of him.

"Here we are." She frowned, quickly hopping out of the car. Frankie followed her and they made their way to the entrance to the underground. "Frankie… promise me you'll be careful and you'll stay with me."

"I promise… Let's go get dad." he nodded. She let the way into the old throne room, from there she wasn't exactly sure where to go. She felt Sans' fear and anger constantly she wished it could guide her. Maybe sans was at the old Grillby's- like he was last time. Where else could he be? They didn't have time to search the whole underground! Snowdin was the best place to start though.

"Follow me." She smiled a little. I think I can remember the way.

It was the instant that they left the throne room that she could no longer feel him. She couldn't feel Sans.

* * *

 **REVIEWS FOR CHAPTER FORTY-SIX:**

 **Potato:** UPDATE!  
UPDATE!  
UPDATE!

Seriously please! I check this every day! You ended it on a cliffhanger! You can't do this!

 _Shhhh... It's okay. Lol_

 **Cocoa the Wolf:** There's the twist.

SANS, YOU FOOL.

 _What. You think that's the twist?_

 **TeresaCake:** IS THIS THE PLOT TWIST  
IS GASTER THE PLOT TWIST  
IS GASTER GONNA KILL SANS  
IS IT GONNA RESET  
DOES THE MACHINE STOP THE RESETS  
WHATS GASTER GONNA DO  
CLIFFHANGER  
WHY MUST YOU DO THIS

 _No. Nope. No. No. Nopety. Not telling. Yes. Because pain. But don't worry. It's gonna get so good._

 **Ed's. Curious. Kitten:** QUICK! FORM A TEAM TO DUNK GASTER! I'VE GOT MY TRUSTY FIREPLACE LIGHTER! DO YOU THINK HE'S FLAMMABLE?! KEEP IT UP!

 _He probably is. lol. LETS GO TEAM!_

 **Nadiahardar:** I KNEW IT  
GOD DAMN IT ASSTER YOU PIECE OF SLIME

((i can't see any possible way that anything we learned from this chapter can result in bad things.))

(((i'm lying.)))

((((everything in this chapter has just the right ingredients for a badtime sanswich with angst as the secret ingredient.))))

(((((And let me tell you, it's not healthy for your precious soul.)))))

 _Oh y'all are gonna have such a bad time. It's not fun. Not fun at all._

 **Lynja Fairy:** Finishing what he started: The barrier is already broken, so that cannot be it...so, destruction of all humanity it is then? Experiment on sans, with his merged soul?! Set the timeline before everything happened?

The foreboding music at the end. It is beautiful. LOVE love, not LOVE Level Of ViolencE it.  
Adoption is beautiful, but since their souls have merged and are therefore compatible, thst means there us potential for a child and replacement insecurities and big bro moments for Frankie.

Gaster is back, will that affect the Gastet Blasters much?

Oh where, oh where  
Has Annoying Dog gone  
Oh where, oh where can he be?  
With his ears cut short  
And his tail cut long  
Oh where, oh where can he be?  
I think he went down  
To the building site  
To see what he could see  
And in his mouth  
Was a globe so bright  
I wonder what could it be

It's the Piano room artifact.

Though really, I am wondering if he or the River person will do Mysterious Things with Annoying Dog's secret computer room in Snowdin.

 _So. Yes. Fun times are happening in Gaster's mind. He really really doesn't like humans. Sans and Riley are merged but that doesn't make them biologically compatible. You'll see what happens in the epilogue. :)_

 **aduralove:** OMG Mhm Gaster nooo! Aww geez man oh god oh fudge oh sweet jeez why why why I LOVE THIS BUT WHAT THE HECK AHhh... Wellllll... on the first day on the first day of middle school, I get lost, make a fool of myself, break my shoes, AND NOW THIS!? ughhhhhhh whyyyyy I know this is all just noises and complaining, but I mean! Look at this freaking chapter! Amazing as always, but Gaster you bastard! Wow that kinda rhymes. Gaster the Bastard. And yay, Tumblr posts and good trips. Thats, like, the one Nice thing besides PAPYRUS GETTING A FREAKING JOB! Wow! Congrats Papyrus wooooooo! Ok well, I'm gonna go DIE because of walking sooooo much.

 _lol. It's okay. It's all for the best. Trust me. You all are going to love the plot twist._

 **Emerald and Lazulite:** Oh no.  
Out. NO GASTER.

 _Sorry. Not sorry._

 **OppsieDasi:** Rip; my heart.  
Couldn't handle this chapter

 _It's going to be okay. :)_

 **MidnightSalem:** GASTER YOU FUCKING TOSSER WHY! WWHHHHHYYYYYYY!

 _*can't stop laughing*_

 **TheRandomDreeMurr:** *sees new chapter is out* ajdjhegtyaioxkjnahggdjsjsh OMG YAYAYYAYA *reads* omg Gaster nononononono ;-; y u do dis Gaster? IS HE GUNNA TRY TO HURT RI? LEMY AT HIM! *proceeds to punch 4th wall in a sad attempt to get into fanfic a kill Gaster* *huf puf* ok... I give up *passes out* anyway it might take a while for me to start making fanfics because my computer has been acting super slow lol. Can't wait for the next chapter!

 _He might hurt Ri. I guess you'll have to see what happens. =)_

 **Guest:** Oh shit. Your depiction of Gaster made me think of a horror game called the Crooked Man. Also I ment to mention this earlier but this Gaster's betrayal kind of reminded me. Have you ever heard the song Wolf in Sheeps Clothing by Set It Off? I think it would work for Gaster and the Red X. Also I kept thinking of another song Nightmare by the same band whenever Frankie and Sans were having nightmares.

 _Dude. I love that game! The Crooked Man is pretty frickin disturbing. I don't think I've heard either song- I might have. It's hard to remember songs by name. But they sound pretty good for those situations. :)_

 **Branchwing:** oh boy gaster, why are did you have to betray sans ;-;. now, he haves no idea how he can stop resets. Being serious now, I feeling that "finish what I started" means the CORE, or something exclusive to this story... Anyways, I can't wait until the next chapter!

 _Soon... soon thou shalt see... nyeheheheheh._

 **IKursteen:** PLOT TWIST. THIS HAS TO BE IT.

Sooo... Gaster used Sans? Lovely. Now I am expecting to see a epic battle roll out. And Frankie has now had a nightmare. Haven't seen one of those in a number of chapters. Anyways, I'm out in the middle of the woods in a tent. Oh, is that a bat I hear?

Well, nice little plot twist. I'm assuming Gaster is gonna cause lots of trouble. Maybe even Red X will help out since I have a feeling Gaster is gonna do all kinds of stuff... Lol.

And once again this was well written and I was extremely satisfied with this chapter. And how we keep count...? Simple. By drawing red X's on a calender. Keep on writing and I'll all be good.

See y'all in the next chapter!

 _But it isn'ttttttt..._

 _Yas he did. You're in a tent? I'm confused. I shall keep on writing. Though how regular it is I know not. lol._

 **Anonymous:** I'm getting real tired of Gaster's Tomfuckery.

 _You don't even know yet._

 **Pomoki Carson:** I see my voiced points have been mentioned recently in a review. I was really happy when I saw lots of Frankie in this chapter, since I felt like you truly took some of our requests and used them. And lol, I had this random nightmare of Sans dunking me.

I am assuming now we have hit the plot twist? Wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. I have a feeling Gasters gonna try and destroy humanity xD but he already kinda sucks as a person. Oh, and he's probably gonna be pissed once he realizes Sans merged with Riley. I don't think Gaster has too much "evil" intentions but he is to me now the main antagonist for this chunk of the story, as Red X was for in the begging, but now are only mentioned slightly.

By the way, I glad you liked my story! And I'm sure to see you in the next chapter... Unless Gaster decides to ruin my life for me. But I was saying... *blah blah blah*

 _You all assume this is the plot twist you don't even know what's coming. It's about to get worse. And heck yeah he's pissed about Ri. Poor Snas._

 **And also Pomoki Carson:** *Nurse runs out of hospital*

Nurse: YOU FORGOT YOUR BILL! Pay up NOW or your gonna regret this! You know we have the rights to sue you!

Pomoki: IM A POOR COLLEGE STUDENT AND I CAN'T AFFORD YOUR STUPID BILL. LEAVE ME AND MY FANFICS ALONE!

Wait... That nurse... Riley?!

Riley: How do you know my name?

Pomoki: Because I'm Sparta and because of a certain fanfic.

Riley: Oh.. Well, just go anyways. Bye...?

Pomoki: Bye... •~•

That was awkward xD but I got released from the hospital after a week or something :D but thanks!

 _lol. Awesome._

 **An Peepul:** YES! FINALLY CHAPTER 46! YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY! Also, Yep. Gaster is evil. Predicted it. Now I'm just going to stop reading the fanfic. (One day later) *Opens computer* I'm going to see if mariahills-capsicle has updated Fractured yet. *Fractured has not been updated* Oh.

 _I'm sorryyyyyyyy :( lol. I'll get working on it right away. :D_

 **Mr. Indigo:** You know, Gasters kind of a dick...

 _I do know and yes he is. lmao_

 **Harris:** *insert guttural screaming here*

 _Same._

 **Guest:** Since Sans and Riley are merged, would it be possible for them to have a child?

 _No... they are together as one now in terms of magic (their souls) but they're still not biologically compatible._

 **Flowey:** You didn't think I wouldn't come back, did you? Well guess what! IM BACK!

And I sometimes enjoy reading. Not always. But remember that stuffed bunny? It's dirty now thanks to the flowerbeds! Now it has the same personality as me :P

I've noticed Gaster is um... Mean. Like, really mean. Maybe even meaner than me when I became insane.

You see, I am unable to feel love or joy. So I'm kinda bland. But that's ok I guess. All I do nowadays is stare at the darkness in my now wilted flowerbed. Too bad that furry king doesn't come by anymore.

Well, might see you later! Bye!

 _Yeah Gaster's insane. but that's okay. It's going to get better. Definitely see ya soon! :D_

 **I guest as much:** Crud.

 _#truth_

 **Asriel:** *continuation from last time* a/n: CHARA NO NO STOP STOP CHASING ASRIEL AROUND TOPLESS...

CHARA: NEVER

ASRIEL: CHARA STOP *asriel starts blushing

Chara: I LOVE YOU AND I WANT TO FUCK YOU  
A/N:CHARA WTF.*picks up chara* CHARA no stop trying to escape...

CHARA: b-but I want asriel to ** his *** into my ********************

A/n and asriel: 0_0...

A/N: NOPE NOPE NOPE CHARA NOPE *locks CHARA in a inescapable cage* until you've learn d your lesson...

CHARA:I've learn...  
*5hours later*

*a/n:CHARA STOP RUNNING TOPLESS PLEEEEASE THIS IS MAKING ASRIEL BLUSH HE WILL NEVER HAVE SEX WITH YOUUUUU...

*5 days later*

Great...asriel ...wait is he a timejumper?...

Asriel: yes...

A/n: ASRIEL? YOUR LIKE *starts counting on his fingers* 86563985793$618039639 7 years old

Asriel: actually I am 6479019859092840971805883048$991749082 years old so...

CHARA: YAY HE IS OLD ENOUGH TO HAVE SEX

A/N: CHARA NO

 _Can you please protect the innocence of these children? SAAAVEEE THEMMMMM!_

 **JunebugPokemon:** ;-; Why is Gaster such an Asster? He tricked Sans into thinking something that would help him would help Sans have a normal life. Now that Gaster is fully in this universe, will he realize that Sans has merged with a human with a kind soul? Or will Gaster be too busy tryin to finish what he started to notice? Will Mettaton or Napstablook ever be put into this story, or will they keep living with my OCs?Thunder: Mettaton's ego could fill a room and Napstablook's confidence couldn't fill the head of a pin, and they're not even from a Sonic AU!  
Aqua: (sprays Lightning with water with her powers) No, bad, insults are bad.  
Thunder: (hisses)  
Mettaton: (Walks through the door and poses) HELLO DARLINGS!  
Napstablook: (floats through the wall timidly) hi guys...  
Thunder: Well hello there ghoster streudel and hipster ghost  
Aqua: (sprays again) Bad. Name calling is bad.  
Thunder: Well bye guys I'm gonna go find Lightning and try to destroy him :) (Runs away)  
Flaming Fox: Hi guys! Wait was that Thunder?  
Aqua:Yea I'm gonna go make sure he doesn't destroy Lightning, it's near impossible though  
Flaming Fox: I'll come help  
(Both leave in the direction that Thunder went in) (Napstablook was crying, but Mettaton cheered him up with a hug) (Both go to their room)  
Junebug: Well sorry about that-  
Flowey: (pops up) Howdy! I'm Flowey! Flowey the flow-  
Junebug: God dammit Flowey I'm trying to do something here!  
Chara: (Walks in with a knife in hand) Hiya Juney!  
Junebug: Don't call me that...  
Flowey: Hey Chara lets go try that experiment!  
(Flowey latches onto Chara's arm)  
Junebug: Nonono wait-  
(Both of them disappear in red magic)  
Junebug: Well I have to go make sure none of these guys kill each other, so I'll-  
(CRASH coming from Junebug's lab)  
Junebug: Okay gotta go bye keep writing! (Runs to lab)  
(You hear a roar coming from the lab and Chara and another voice screaming)  
Junebug: AND DONT MESS AROUND IN MY LAB AGAIN!

 _He's not quite fully in this universe. He needs Sans' help for that. Mettaton was in this story! Earlier! :D I don't think either of them will be in it again... I don't think. It is pretty cool how they're chilling with your ocs. lol._

 **MachUPB:**...

...

...  
Why, Gaster? Why?  
(Coz he's apathetic to the point of practically having no soul.)  
(Hang on, does he have a soul?)  
Great chapter. I really enjoyed it. Now I'm just sitting here, wondering what to do now. That's not really working, though, as my thoughts are constantly being invaded by this story. What is Gaster's unfinished business? Will he ever get off his high chair and realise that his son is no longer truly a monster (again, loved that chapter)? How will he react to this? Will he become violent? Will someone have to fight him? Will Sans be the one to fight him if that's necessary? Will I ever stop typing this review?  
*Takes a deep breath.*  
Yeah I think that's all I can write before I can't stop.  
Awesome work, I look forward to reading more.

Extra message to a fellow reader:  
*Gasp* PurpleLines, you read Counting Stars too?

 _Because Gaster has issues. Lots of issues. Someone's gonna have to fight him. I guess you'll see who._

 **Pomoki Carson:** *sees typo in her own name from 2 reviews ago*

AAAAAAAAGH!

I. HATE. TYPOS! SO ANNOYING! BAH HUMBUG!

Lol I just had to stick in some A Christmas Carol. Christmas is only a few months away, after all... I can already hear the elves singing the songs while wrapping the presents! Jingle bells, Jongle bells, Jingle all the way...

Also Gaster is a backstabbing whore (Dedicated to Ashley I. From Bachelor in Paradise lol)

 _That might have been my fault._

 _lol. Absolute truth! Gaster is definitely a whore. *dies laughing*_

 **Guest:** I' when will this come out

 _Always sooner rather than later._

 _Hopefully._

 **Guest:** I FUCKING HATE GASTER  
But to be honest, I kinda knew something like this would happen, because I dont think Gaster would be that willing to help Sans like that without benefit on his side. But still. I hate him.  
I really, really hope he doesn't hurt Papyrus, Frankie or Riley, but in a story like this, i'm guessing that is what is going to happen. :(

 _Me too. But that's okay._

 _No of course not. Gaster needs Sans in order to continue his work._

 **IKursteen:** ol... We hit the 2 Week mark today. It's fine if you take longer to post, so don't worry. I'm out all day too since I'm on vacation too. I leave Monday through and start school on Tuesday. I've noticed something about this fanfiction though. The timing of the year is perfectly parr

OMG CURSE YOU STUPID POST BUTTON...!

Continuing from the previous review... The timing is perfectly the same to ours! Kinda cool, isn't it? Why did it take me so long to notice? Idk tbh. Super hyped for Gaster's big reveal and... Yeah.

Anyways, see you in the next chapter! Bye!

 _Yeah! I never noticed that. The time is exactly the same as our's. So weird. lol. Anyways. Hope you liked this chapter too._

 **Guest:** U dead?

 _Nah. I'm good. Thank._

 **Random Person:** First off I'm sorry for that other post I posted earlier...My mind is a black hole of sadness and .*dies**Police rush in*Police:What was the cause of death?!Detective:looks like she died from lack of...fan fiction?Me:HALP!I'M DYING AHHHHHHHHHHHH  
*Is dead now*

 _Shhh... It's okay now. You safe. Much safe._

 **sceera1:** You know what? Fuck you Gaster! All that work will be for nothing if the resets continue! I finally caught up with the chapters I missed, and I seriously emptied my inbox. Yay to me! Just one quick question: what work is gaster referring to that he needs to finish?

 _Yeah! Welcome back! :DDDD Guess you'll have to find out. nyeheheheh!_

 **Guest:** Not such a long wait... NOT SUCH A LONG WAIT, HUH? I'm just kidding, I hope your vacation was fun

 _Shhhh. It's okay. I'm back now. All is well. lmao_

 **GUYS! Thank you all so much for the great reviews! the next chapter is going to be fabulous! Just you all wait! See ya next time!**

 **-MH_C**


	48. Chapter 48: Deceit

Gaster moves closer still, closing in on Sans. His form is fading faster, turning nearly transparent.  
"Stay away from me!" Sans chokes, trying once more to pull away from the force that has his hands pinned at his sides.  
"I am sorry it has to be this way, my son…" Gaster flashes Sans a sad smile before his eyes flash a bright, menacing purple. Suddenly, his hand flies forward, wrapping around Sans' neck vertebrae. Sans struggles more as he sees the molten darkness from his father's body slowly crawl its way up his arm, flowing over the bones of Gaster's hand as it makes contact with his neck. It's cold, sending shivers down Sans' spine as he feels the viscous darkness climb over his bones.

"No! S-stop!" The black liquid moves upwards, making its way up Sans' jaw. Sans' struggles become more futile, the darkness crawls up his face, slithering its way into his eye socket. Sans can do nothing but scream as his vision fades and he feels his soul being torn from his body. When Sans' vision returns, he's no longer looking at Gaster, but at himself. No, perhaps not himself anymore. The skeleton before him looked like him, sure, but the dripping black ooze that emanated from his eyes and mouth told him that he was not looking at himself- but Gaster. Gaster took over his body.  
"Now, Sans... " That was his voice- _his_ voice! "I cannot see you, but i know you are there… If you want to live, your soul, combined with that… _foul_ human's… should be able to persist for a little while… You'll need a host too. Anything electronic will do." Gaster looks down at his hand, stretching and flexing his bones. "Intriguing."

And that's when Sans realizes he can't feel Riley. It's agony. Being able to feel her made him complete, but without his physical form, he couldn't feel anything, really. He can feel his soul call out for her, but it gets no response. _Riley! Where is she?!_ He's certain if he can't feel her, she can't feel him either.  
"And you had better hurry, son… you can't have any longer than an hour before that hybrid soul of yours shatters…" _If my soul dies, so does Riley… I can't let that happen…_ Suddenly, a ringing brings Sans' attention over to his phone, that Gaster had tossed aside. _No!_ Gaster smirks, getting used to his legs as he walks over to the phone, looking down at the text on the screen.

"Riley the human… heh heh heh… You know, Sans… I'd really love to meet her…" _Stay away from her, bastard!_ Sans tries to do something, anything, to stop Gaster. But all he could do was make the power fluctuate. Gaster chuckles,  
"What's wrong, Sans? Do you not want me to meet your disgusting partner?" _She's not disgusting you sack of crap!_ The lights glitch again, but that's all Sans can do. With another grin, Gaster picks up the phone.

* * *

Riley froze, standing in the hallway because one instant she felt him and the next she felt utterly alone. She reached out, and she couldn't feel him- he was just gone. It was an indescribable feeling- like she'd just lost half of herself, and she let out a cry of alarm, her soul- so confused, shocked. She fell to her knees. _SANS?! WHERE ARE YOU?!_ Why couldn't she feel him?

"M-mom?!" Frankie quickly grabbed her arm. "Wh-what's wrong?!"

"I-I-I-!" She can hardly breathe, "I c-can't feel Sans!" Frankie's eyes widen.

"What?!"

"I can't feel…." Her soul feels numb, like it can hardly understand what's happening. This… this emptiness…. The… the aching feeling growing within her. Sans…. Sans was gone, and what was left was…. Something she hardly recognized. Herself. _Me. I…._ She's utterly alone. It was wrong.

"We have… We have to find him, Mom."

"Y-yes…. S-sans…. I h-have to find him…" She gets to her feet shakily, Frankie helps her gently.

"M-mom… I can find him."

"No! No… something's wrong! Something's really wrong. We have to find him. I have to find him… You have to stay here."

"Stay?! No! I'm coming with you! I can help. We'll find dad together!" She looked down at her son, with as much of a smile as she could muster.

"Okay…. I'm proud of you, Frankie…." He nodded, smiling a little.

"Let's find dad." The aching in her soul, where she should feel Sans, was steadily growing stronger and stronger. "We could try calling him. M-maybe…. Maybe…. He'll…" She doesn't have much hope for him answering the phone. She can't even feel him, she knows something's wrong, but she humored Frankie, pulling out her phone and carefully dialing those familiar numbers. It rang for a moment and then his voice, familiar and perfectly comforting,

"Hello? Riley?"

"S-sans?! I…. I…. Wh-where are you?!"

"Don't worry. I'm safe. It's over."

"I… b-but… I can't feel you! It h-hurts!"

"Shh… It's okay. Meet me in the old lab in Hotland. We'll figure this out together."

"O-okay…. Okay…" She nodded slowly, and she heard the click as he hung up. She couldn't help but feel something was wrong, but his voice was so comforting. He was okay, wasn't he?

"Dad's alright?"

"Y-yeah." She nodded. "We have to find him… in the lab in Hotland….?"

"Come on… Hotland's this way." Frankie smiled a little. "It's okay, Mom. We'll figure this out." Frankie led his mother through the underground, to hotland. When he was little his parents had saved up enough to take him to MTT Resort for a nice meal. He remembered that always. It was one of the only memories he _could_ remember about his biological parents. He knew where the resort was and he remembered the lab wasn't far.

Riley followed him, holding his hand gently.

"Frankie…? I…."

"Don't worry, Mom… It's going to be okay. I'll protect you. Nothing's going to happen to you or dad." She smiled.

"I love you, kid. I'm very proud of you…."

"I love you too." They made it to the lab quickly, and Frankie was the one who raised his hand to knock on the door. Before his fist could land it slid open quickly, and before them lay darkness.

"S-Sans?"

"...In here…" She took a step forward, Frankie holding her arm gently. Her soul was on fire, she needed this fixed soon. It hurt so bad to be separate from him.

"What's wrong with the-" The lights flickered on and she could see his figure across the room.

"D-dad?" Frankie whispered. Sans turned around slowly and Riley's heart sank. It wasn't Sans. "DAD!"

"So… you're Riley…" The figure murmured. "Intriguing. Tell me, what caused these… Disfigurements?" The words stung, and she was still trying to catch her breath. She couldn't feel Sans, their soul… Well… It was no longer theirs. It was hers and… It was wrong. "Not much of a talker, are you? Its interesting that sans chose someone like you… Though I suppose it shouldn't surprise me. He was always someone drawn to brokenness."

"W-what do you mean… 'chose'?" She had no idea what was going on, this person must be Sans' father… what was his name again? Gaster? Wasn't he dead? Or gone forever. What had happened? And what about Sans? He must be somewhere in his body still, right?

"What? You actually think he's in love with you?" Gaster laughed, it was a cold, broken laugh that bounced off the walls of the hallway. Riley shivered.

"We're merged. Of course he loves me." She frowned.

"Tsk… poor, silly girl…" Gaster sighed. "Sans is a clever boy… And I use that term lightly… clever, I suppose, in comparison to you."

Riley glared. "And I suppose you're the absolute end all to be all on how clever Sans and I are."

"None of that matters. What matters is that Sans has his own little ways of… mm… How shall we say this…? Discovering the mysteries of The human soul." Gaster smiles widely, and though it's sans' face, it's different and Riley feels sick.

"What are you implying?"

"I'm not implying anything, human. I'm speaking nothing but fact. Sans has always been a little scientist. If he had continued his training under me He might have gotten a lot farther in our research… Unfortunately our time together was... cut short. What I mean to say, human, is that it was one of our biggest goals to learn the mysteries of the human soul. How can humans have such determination when we don't? How come their souls are so powerful and yet… They can't seem to grasp the power of magic? And… what would happen if a human soul merged with a monster soul? Now that you and sans have merged he can find the answers to all those questions and more… or… Well… I suppose _I_ Can. Sans is gone now."

 _He's lying… He's lying, riley, don't listen to a word he says._ "You… You cant merge with someone unless you love them, unconditionally." She frowned. Gaster laughed, his purple pupils turning a dark maroon.

"Is that what Sans told you? He is cleverer than I thought…"

"You're lying! I feel him! I know he loves me!" She gasped, tears stinging the corner of her eyes.

"Really…? You feel him right now…?" Gaster frowned. She froze. She didn't. Did Gaster know that? She couldn't read his expression "Poor… Pitiful human girl… it's time to wake up and see what your true purpose is. The only real value you hold… Is within your soul…" he took a step towards her. She had nowhere to go. "And once I harvest that power and I understand it I shall at last show the humans who really belongs trapped underground!"

"Sh-shut up!" Frankie screamed.

"What did you say to me, you little brat?" Gaster hissed.

"I SAID SHUT UP! YOU'RE WRONG! Dad would never do those things! He loves mom! More than anything! A-and! Not all humans are bad! M-most of them are nice! SO SHUT UP!"

"F-Frankie!" She gasped, "P-please…!" _How long can I survive without Sans' soul?_

"How dare you speak to me like that, little orphan rat." Gaster grabbed Frankie's arm.

"Leave him alone!" Riley screamed.

"Stay out of this, human bitch. You, child, don't speak to your superiors like that-"

"LET GO OF ME!" Frankie swung a blazing yellow fist and it slammed against Gaster's cheekbone. The older skeleton instantly retaliated by throwing his adopted grandson across the room. Frankie slammed against the back wall and crumpled to the floor.

"NO!" Riley shrieked. "Frankie!" For a moment she thought he was dead, or at least unconscious, but then the small skeleton slowly rose to his feet.

"So…. it's people like you that gave humans the wrong idea… Dad never really talked about you I guess I know why." He glared, his fists blazing yellow. "YOU'RE HORRIBLE!"

Gaster actually seemed surprised. "You're…. Quite the strong one…. Perhaps you could be of use to me…" He paused, "Unfortunately…. you're not worth the trouble." He advanced towards Frankie and the small skeleton screamed with rage, dashing towards the man who took his father from him.

"Frankie!" Riley gasped. "No!" There was a tug in her soul, and she felt something powerful fill her. She raised her hand instinctively and in a burst of power she somehow shot a bone straight at Gaster's skull.

Sans' father spun around and ducked just in time. "Your soul… intriguing… a human using magic….?" Just then, Frankie's fists slammed against his grandfather. "Enough!" Gaster grabbed Frankie by his spine and Riley, confused and helpless, watched in horror. The older skeleton threw his grandson onto the ground with all his strength. Riley heard the snaps of several of Frankie's bones and she screamed,

"FRANKIE!" Gaster paused, waiting to see if the small skeleton would get up again, and when he didn't he turned to Riley.

"Now…. let's find out how you work, shall we?" He grinned and it was terrifying. He stood between Riley and her son. She wanted nothing more than to go and help the small skeleton, to get him out of here, but Gaster was ready for her. There was no time to lose. It was flee… or fight… And then the lights flickered out. The room was silent. Riley took the opportunity and dashed away as quietly and quickly as possible, back down the hall. She had to find a place to hide. The lights flickered back on and then off again. She dashed outside into Hotland, and towards Snowdin. She remembered the way.

"R-RilEy!" She skidded to a stop, frozen for a moment. Had that been Gaster? "rILEy? S-s-s-sUNshine?" Sans. She spun around, looking for where the voice was coming from.

"Sans?!" It was his voice, no doubt about it. His voice, normal and… him. But… electronic? Like it was coming from a speaker? "W-where are you?!"

"I'm RIghT HerE… YOur phONE." She whipped her phone out of her pocket and stared at it intently.

"There's no call…?"

"I'm IN yoUR PHOne. BabY, LIsteN TO me. YoU neED TO hiDE. gASTer's comING."

"S-sans…. Frankie! Frankie's-"

"I knOW. iT's goING tO BE okaY. bUT onlY IF YOu HIde." She found her way into waterfall, and found a place with tall grass to sit in. Sans was silent until he was sure she was safe. "thIS is All mY FAult. I shOULDn't have KEPt things FRom yoU."

"D-don't say that, Sans. It's going to be alright. Y-you… you said so yourself."

"It'S GoinG TO bE HArd. BuT I THink i knOW A waY TO deFEAt GasTER."

"Tell me." She whispered.

"I….I…." He trailed off.

"Sans?! Are you there."

"I dONT wanT YOu to dO it, riLEY. I waNT You to GET frANKie and go HOme."

"And then what will Gaster do? What's his goal Sans? He won't be satisfied staying down here forever."

"GASter wanTS revENGe."

"On humans. For what?"

"FoR WHat theY DId to my MOTher. For whAT THEY did to ALL moNSTErs."

"Put them underground?" She whispered.

"He'd sEE all HUmanKINd locKED beNEAth the EARth."

"We have to stop him then, Sans. You know we do. To get out of here safely. And to save everyone else."

"This iS all My fAULT. I shOULdn't have l-l-l-lied to YOu, RiLEy…"

"No, baby, this… this isn't your fault. We're going to get through this. I know we can..."

* * *

Sans couldn't see Riley, he couldn't see anything. Being inside her phone… it was cold. He couldn't feel her, or anything for that matter. Its a few moments later, and he can hear her sobbing,

"S-sans… Frankie's h-hurt… I have to help him- i have to help _you._ H-how do I defeat Gaster?"

"RILey… HE'S STRonG… He'LL KiLL YOU…"

"I don't care… tell me how to beat him…" Sans is silent for a long while,  
"ALright."

* * *

The door to the lab slides open, and Riley steps inside. Her heart is pounding, but she relays what Sans told her in her head over and over again. The lights were back on, but Gaster wasn't there. Frankie lay on the floor, motionless. She feels sick to her stomach as she dashes over to the little skeleton,  
"IS HE AlRIGHT?" Sans' static voice speaks through the speakers of her phone. Riley pulls Frankie into her arms. Her son groans in pain, he must be very hurt. She pulls off her scarf, which hang around her neck, using it to support Frankie's head.

"He… He's really hurt…" Riley fights back tears. She'll have to leave him to fix this, and she doesn't want to. She gets to her feet, "Stay safe, Frankie… I'll be back."  
"G-g-g-gaster's PROBably DOwn iN THE TRUe LAB. ELeVATor." Riley nods, heading for the elevator. She steps inside, her stomach dropping as the elevator does. She hadn't anticipated Gaster waiting there as the door opens once more, the black ooze dripping from his eye sockets and his purple pupils were the only difference between her Sans and this demented monster.

"I do not quite understand why you followed me down here… You stupid, stupid human…" Before Riley can react, there's a bony hand roughly tugging on her wrist, pulling her deeper into the decrepit laboratory.

" R." Sans' voice booms, Gaster withdraws.  
"Ah, that's where you went, Sans. A cellular phone… hm." Gaster chuckles.

"StAY AwAY FRoM My FAMILy! You LIED to M-m-m-mE!"  
"Ah, but did I? I told you I could stop the resets, did i not?" Gaster smiles menacingly, "You still think that small human is to blame for the timeline reverting?"  
"WHAt arE You T-t-tALKIng about?"

"Tsk… I would think you could have figured it out by now. No human is determined enough to revert an entire timeline, fool… It takes a little help… The very timeline we stand in is unstable. I was never supposed to exist when i fell into the core… yet I held on somehow. I caused the breaks in this timeline, and without me, there would be no… Resets. I simply encouraged the small human to reset by giving them the ability to do so…"  
Riley's eyes widen. _No… Gaster... Caused the resets?_

* * *

 **REVIEWS FOR CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN:**

 **aduralove:** Nopenopenopenopenopenopenopenopenopenopenope SOOOOOO MUCH NOPE I MEAN UGHHH. I was soooo happy for an update and RILEY CANT FEEL SANS... I wanna cry... JUST FOR YOU SANS I'LL KICK ASS ON MY ANCIENT CIVILIZATIONS TEST  
ahhhhh .

.  
Gaster the bastard, staring gaster, coming to a theater near you soon, folks.  
YOU FREAKIN BASTARD  
Wish he could here is all screaming bastard at him.  
welp I'm gonna finish my homework and die in a hole far, far away now. kthxbai  
999999999999999999999(infinante 9s)/10  
Would rereread again!

 _Gaster is definitely an Asster, and you go and kick ass on all your tests! We know you can do it!_

 **TeresaCake:** Are you back from vacation

Because I almost died from lack of updates

Well actually I would have almost died even if this story didn't exist

but still

I almost died

I choked on a scotch mint

but i'm fine

anyways bye

see ya next chapter

 **and:** Oh yeah, and don't forget about Henry.

Henry needs to show up again.

HE WAS TOO ADORABLE TO HAVE DISSAPEARED

 _Yas, I am back. But with school starting on Wednesday everything is absolute Chaos. Don't worry, we shall still post though they might always be late. And for sure, we'll have to bring Henry back in. Even if it's just in the second one._

 **Lynja Fairy:** So Gaster and sans is like Chara and Frisk. Gaster and Chara are possessing somebody AND want the destruction of humanity! Yay!  
Just like a human to drop in, even though she was told not to. I wonder what Gaster will think of Frankie...would he consider him a son if he renounced his mother or something?  
A part of Riley's soul has died...  
Gaster has probably absorbed sans' soul, WITH A BIT OF A HUMAN SOUL IN IT! I mean, it's not a full soul, but still worrisome...  
I wouldn't be sad if you sicced Gaster on Red X, but then Gaster would have a lot of LOVE.  
Traa la la...Beware of the man who speaks in hands...  
LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE (not Level Of ViolencE) LOVE LOVE  
Waiting! My fiercest enemy!  
I got goosebumps, or maybe Temmiebumps all over my skin.

 _Wow! There are parallels between Gaster and Chara! Nice catch! Riley can't feel Sans because their souls are now one, but Sans isn't in his body. So Sans' soul is far- almost on a different plane of existence, I guess you could say. He's distant, different. But yeah, it's Gaster's fault._

 **MelicMusicMagic:** No... DAMN YOU DADSTER! You're the real Badster of this story! Give Sans back! ;_;

(Doesn't matter to me if your updates take time, I'm just happy they keep coming eventually. I hope you had a lot of fun on your trip.)

 _Yeah! Dadster, don't be rude!_

 _Thank you so much for saying that, we really appreciate it. With both of us being in school starting Wednesday, it's gonna be hard to post regularly._

 **Ed's. Curious. Kitten:** WHO'S READY TO JOIN ME IN DUNKING THE MAD SCIENTIST?! I'M GONNA DUNK HIM SO HARD HE'LL COME OUT IN CHINA! HOW DARE HE LAY A HAND ON MY SANS! THE PENALTY IS A SLAM DUNK RETURN TO THE VOID! WHO'S WITH ME?! KEEP IT UP!

 _Yeah! DUNK THE ASSTER!_

 **Midnightsalem:** You dont know how much I want to kill gaster right now

 _On a scale of 1 to 10 how bad is your pain? With one being 'okay' and ten being 'OH MY GOD I'M BURNING ALIVE! AIIII!' lmao :P_

 **Guest:** Wait since sans and riley share a soul. Wouldn't gaster possess both of them

 _Interesting theory, however, what's happened is Gaster has expelled Sans' soul from his body. He's only possessed Sans' body. Not Sans' soul. If he had possessed Sans' soul then Riley wouldn't have been able to communicate with him. Sans would be gone forever. The reason Sans and Riley can't feel each other is because they're now semi-operating on two different planes of existence. Riley is in the bodily, physical realm- with her soul safe inside her- and Sans is beyond that, as more of a ghostly presence, since he only possesses his soul._

 **Anonymous:** Pretty much my reaction to this chapter.

Gaster the Bastard: *Being a dipshit as always*

Me: *Banging head on my table* SHUT. THE. FUCK. UP!

*Blah blah blah shit goes down*

Sans: "Don't look for me Riley!"

Riley: "I must saveth my husbando!1!"

Me: "godDAmMit RILEY! I swear to god if Fran-"

Frankie: " I mUst SavE mY daD ALSO!1!1"

Riley: "k"

Me: "IM TRIGGERED!"

LATER *harp music*

'It was the instant that they left the throne room that she could no longer feel him. She couldn't feel Sans.'

Me: "FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU-"

I'm fucking done with Gaster the Bastard's bullshit.

 _lmao. You'll certainly like the next chapter then... I think...? if it's gonna have what I'm thinking of?_

 **I guest as much:** Well now, sounds like Riley the human is gonna (attempt to) give someone *cough*Gaster*cough* a bad time...

 _She certainly is. Though with this shocker I'm not quite sure how well she'll succeed._

 **aduralove:** Btw, ILL JOIN THE TRUSTY DUNKING TEAM! ILL SLAM MY WAY TO FAST AND PAINFUL TENNIS SHOTS AT HIM! ALSO GONNA GRAB A SWORD FROM CAMP HALFBLOOD! LETS GO TEAM!  
(more info bout this continuing from the 1st one) this better actually be fabulous because I am extremely sad from this, and realizing what Mon Cher means. it means my dear. if you read the diviners(amazing book btw) you would get it. RIGHT SO IM DEPPRESSED FROM FICTIONAL THINGS GREAT  
can like a plot twist be like us people breaking through the 4th wall and helping riley and Frankie FUCKIN DUNK GASTER THE BASTARD down to hell? that would be great ALSO I GOT MULIPLE 100s AND 90s AND TWO 88s I KICKED ASS AT SCHOOL FOR YOU SANS SO YOU SURVIVE

 _Well... I think now you know what the plot twist is. NYEHEHEHEH!_

 _AWESOME ON YOUR GRADES! :DDDD_

 **Guest:** Important question that'll probably be answered in the next chapter but since Riley has a part of sans' soul would she theoretically be able to use magic if she needed to, like say when she and Frankie confront Gaster? I know that Frankie can and have everyone suddenly start using magic might be a bit of an op cop out, but while Frankie has power he obviously doesn't have the experience or stamina to be able fight someone like Gaster. Maybe since Riley has a green soul, kindness, she could just do shields and support magic.

 _There you go, question answered. lol! :D Though she doesn't have much control over it. I like your idea of shields and support magic. I might have to bring that into our little canon. It's pretty good. :)_

 **RosePines123:**...why... i hate clif hangers...

 _Because it makes you want to read the next chapter more. And the reviews are always epic. lol :P_

 **JustARandomGal:** Hiya I'm using my guest account because I'm on my phone. I FREAKING KNEW IT GASTER U LITTLE S- Ri: GAL! Me: oh right sorry forgot Frankie was listening Ri: *glares* me: *sweats* ummmmn I'm just gunna go... *runs* Sans in the background: if you've been teaching my son curse words your gunna have a bad time! Me: shoot shoot shoot oh golly shoot shoot shoot

 _Frankie's not here anymore. *COUGHCOUGH* Too soon?_

 **Glitchy:** DONT BE DEAD OR POSSESED SANS! PLEASE!

 _Oops_

 **IKursteen:** OMG I DIDNT READ IT UNTIL 2 DAYS LATER OMG

I am a bit nerveracked lol but school isn't that stressful... Yet.

A terrible creature has formed, and now Rinklie (Riley and Frankie lol) must save Sans before Sansley is to be gone! We all must wait as this terrible cliffhanger subsides and let the climax fall into the conclusion! Also I was out camping at my camp for a overnight thing and I brought my phone, which had cellular data, which enabled me to go onto your story. Also wow summer flew by real quick. Speaking of time wow I thought you and your cousin thought to do the time along our time intentionally. That's cool! Since I skipped 2 days off, I expect to see a story soon! I hope we're on our schedule now again! .

School has been fun so far. However I feel tiny against this school. Maybe you can figure out what grade I'm in? (If you do I'll be far fetched lol) it's a good day for all things in life. Any was, see you...

IN THE ATTEMPT TO RESCUE SAAASSSS! (Underpants reference xD)

 _You defeat school! I know you can do it. lol_

 _What grade...? Hmmm... Uh... Are you starting out in a new school?_

 **Pomoki Carson:** Heya! Looks like Whore is trying to use Sans again to make a utopia! Lovely...  
And I ended up paying my bills from my case of lack of Fanfics Syndrome, but now I'm extremely poor and I can't buy my Victoria's Secret Pink Sweatshirts! But I guess things will be all right since I get my paycheck soon from my job. Woo!

And IKursteen: I noticed that later in the story. I saw the date of when it first started around January and the first chapter taking place in January, so that's cool! Also go Asriel. Try and scare Chara off to me please since both of you are too young for... Stuff...

Whore will be destroyed. Ashley I. Will find love someday. But it all starts in the next season of Bachelor in Paradise! See you in the next chapter! Also please address to Flowey I will send him some new seeds along with a automatic sprinkler with some... DETERMINATION!

 _did you just call gaster whore? That is the most beautiful thing I've ever heard._

 _Oh my god. I know that feel. I'm a college student. I'm broke as broke. It's not funnnnn._

 _Awww. Flowey is gonna grow some friends?_

 **Flowey:** *Hears commotion going on from the distance*

Are these... Ghosts?!  
I'm kinda scared now... It's getting louder...  
White bunny... Are you there? Bunny?  
HELP! ITS GONNA KILL ME! PLEASE  
DONT STAB ME 20 TIMES LIKE FRISK DID  
TO ME! PLEASE!

*Crys in terror*

I'm gonna die tonight... Aren't i...?

 _Don't worry flowey! Pomoki Carson sent you some seeds and determination to grow some friends! :D_

 **AnPresonPeepul:** YAYS! U R NOT DED! PLZ CONTINUE SOON PLZZZZZZZ

 _Voila!_

 **Branchwing:** oh boy. gaster, i swear if you kill sans... i'm not sure what's going to happen. Anyways, keep up the good work! :)

 _The Lady Riley shall indeed smite down the great ASster and bring justice to the whole land! Mayhaps... if they can overcome this sour news about yonder resets._

 **Guest:** I really want Frankie to dunk Gaster. That would be amazing.  
I also want to know wether, when Sans is possesed, will Riley and Frankie know its Gaster, or will they think it is really Sans?  
Also, did Riley's connection to Sans stop because Gaster possesed him? I think that is the best explanation.  
And, will Gaster keep acting as Sans to fool Riley, and all of Sans' monster friends?  
And how will he react when he sees Papyrus?  
And Frankie?  
And Alphys after she replaced him?  
And Toriel?  
And especially Asgore? (if Asgore even reapears?)

Sorry for the bombardment of questions, i'm just really curious as to what will happen!

 _Sameeee... Unfortunately Frankie is no where near strong enough. Well, I think most of those questions were answered in this chapter. We'll just have to see if Riley is able to defeat Gaster before he goes to the surface._

 **TheRandomDreeMurr:** Halp wHy cAnT I juSt TaKe a piCture aNd set It as My prOfile pIc! Is it possible to set my profile pic on a mobile device? Plz tell me I need help ;-;

 _Ummm... I thought so... Okay. So on mobile, if you go down to the bottom of the page you can tap the words that say "View Tablet/Desktop Mode" Click on those and then you can see the full site, just like on a computer. Then you can go to Account, and then Settings and change your profile pic._

 **JunebugPokemon:** Chara: Greetings. Juney is away so I'll be doing the review today.  
Flowey: Howdy, it's me, Flowey! I'll be helping out Chara while Junebug is off trying to fix Mettaton or whatever.  
Chara: (whispering) Azzy, you weren't supposed to say that.  
Flowey: (whispering) Sorry Chara...  
Chara: Anyways, the chapter was pretty good, I'm glad that Asster finally started to spend his time in his lab. He was with me and Az- I mean, Flowey over here for a while, but finally left.  
Flowey: I agree, he was annoying. Wait a second... (goes under the ground, in the direction of Junebug's lab)  
Chara: Hey, where are you..? Never mind... Gaster got the better of that comedian, and it seems as if he will take Sans' soul, or at least take it over. He reacted to Sans and Riley's souls being merged a little less than we expected though... I also think that you should update every Saturday or Sunday(required) and Wednesday(if possible). It would make all the fangirls and boys happy, and seems as if it would work well. I'll bet Juney understands about school, but I haven't gone to school in-  
Flowey: (pops up with a rainbow soul encased in a jar) LOOK CHARA! JUNEBUG MADE AN ARTIFICIAL SOUL!  
Chara: Wait Azzy, it could be unstable!  
Flowey: Pfft, whatever, I've got nothing to lose. (opens jar and absorbs the soul)  
Chara: Well?  
Flowey: Ch-Chara? (bright light)  
Chara: (shields eyes)  
Asriel: I'm me again! (runs over to hug Chara)  
Junebug: (appears in a red glow) Hey guys I'm... back... Asriel? Did you happen to use that rainbow soul to bring yourself back?  
Asriel: Maybe... Please don't kill me I just became alive again!  
Junebug: I was working on that for you, but it wasn't finished! Wait, is this a review? Chara, were you doing this in my place?  
Chara: Maybe... Flowey told me to!  
Asriel: You told me it would be a fun prank!  
(Chara & Asriel arguing)  
Junebug: Well sorry about that, I hope they didn't give you too much trouble... Well I read the chapter and I need fluff! Stat! And no fake fluff, like Asster taking control of Sans and then messing with Riley and Frankie and everyone...  
Chara: But that would be cool of the dude...  
Junebug: You're messed up Chara. Go prank Thunder for all I care.  
Chara: Okay Juney! (Junebug grumbles) C'mon Azzy let's go prank some fools!  
Asriel: Yay!  
Junebug: Wait I still need to make sure the soul doesn't crack or something!  
Chara: Well I'll come back if anything happens. Bye Juney! (Grabs Asriel's paw and they disappear in a red light)  
Junebug: Well that was unexpected. It looks like Chara said what I was going to say. She did a pretty good job too. Well, keep writing, and sorry for keeping you so long. Have fun, and Chara actually might have said some things worth your time.

Btw if you didn't know, that was StoryShift Chara and Storyshift Flowey/Asriel. They accidentally took away Asriel's soul somehow in my lab one day, that's why it's off-limits.

 _Oh boy. You gotta be careful with those two. lol._

 _You shall have fluff. Definitely in the extended epilogue if not sooner._

 **Nightmare-Miss-13:** Why hello... *Reads story* DAMMIT GASTER! RILEY SANS SAID NOT TO LOOK FOR HIM! SOMEONE CALL THE DETERMINATION SQUAD! GIVE FLOWEY ALL THE SOULS AND MAKE HIM KICK GASTER"S ASS! GASTER FUCK YOU! *DEMONIC ROARING*

 _Shh... It's gonna be okay..._

 **Smashgunner:** I'm gonna be honest. I haven't read through the whole story. But to be FRANK. I don't really care. I love reviewing stories. That's a FRACT. enjoy this review. I just hope you don't get this message at a BAD TIME.

No. Papyrus! Down boy! Down. No yelling at puns.

 _Lol... Keep reading, friend!_

 **Harris:** Are you still there? You must be really busy. I completely understand, I hardly have time to sleep. Make sure that your personal life always comes first

 _ThankyouthankyouthankyouTHANKYOU. Thank you so much. So much for this review. I cannot even describe how much it means to me to hear this. And others telling me it's alright if we're late. Especially now that school's starting, things are going to be difficult. My dream is to become an Author of my own original works someday, so you all have to understand, writing fanfiction is my HOBBY. I don't get paid. I have a job and school that come first. Fanfiction is what I do for FUN. Because I enjoy it. So thank you so much for saying this._

 **Guest:** Don't promise us regular updates if you cannot provide

 _Firstly: I never, ever, ever **promised** regular updates. If I did it was a slip of my **hands** and what I meant to say was we would TRY. _

_Secondly: I have said on numerous occasions recently, in authors notes AND replies to reviews that WE CANNOT make the original GOAL of updating every three days. As of right now, it's too difficult with school and working taking priority. Please understand that fanfiction is our hobby. We do it for fun, so it does not take precedence in our lives. We write when we **can.**_

 _Thank you for your patience. :)_

 **THANK YOU ALL FOR your awesome reviews! It's great to hear from you, and we'll see you on the next chapter! :D**

 **-MH_C**

 **PS. If you haven't checked out our tumblr, you should head over there for sure! Check out the little surprise I posted for you there that I made while going on our roadtrip (and having nothing better to do, lol).**

 **Hopefully more of those surprises will come soon. (Though we'll see what craziness my schedule brings. Oh boy! School starts this week! O: )**


	49. Chapter 49: The End

"thE... ThE…. ReSEts…?!" Sans choked. Riley could hardly breath. The resets…. She had always…. Always believed Sans about the resets but… he had told her he didn't know where they came from. It was his father all along?!

"Why?!" She choked.

"Of course…." Gaster chuckled. "I know it's hard to wrap your ridiculously small mind around, human…. but I… I needed Sans to finish what he started." He sighed, tapping the edge of the counter, "I needed him to finish the machine. It was the only thing that could save me… the only thing that could…. Bring me back so that I can finish what I've started. So I waited, hoping he would come to finish it, to finish the machine. But Sans… you stopped coming. I waited years!"

"I WaS taKINg caRE OF PaPYRus! Like I ALWAYS diD! yOu lEFt, but it DOesn'T MAttER… YOu were alwAYs gone anYWAYs."

"The point is, son… you forgot all about your father's work. I had no choice but to remind you." Gaster smiled, and Riley shivered. It was Sans' smile, but it was so different. Malevolent. Wrong.

"WHAt dO YoU MeaN, REMIND?" Sans hissed. Gaster laughed, and it echoed through the lab.

"I fractured the timeline, you idiot. And then I reset it." He grinned. "I did it. And you came running to me. 'Oh, why is this happening? How come no one realizes but me?! We were happy!' Blah blah blah."

"Stop it! You… You've hurt so many people!" Riley said. Gaster looked her up and down with a chuckle.

"I will have so much fun dissecting your soul."

" P." Sans screamed, " E."

"Tsk. Sans, Sans, Sans…. You were all too eager to learn that my little machine would 'correct the fractured timeline'... and yet… you abandoned it. And there was… that little mistake where two timelines intersected. Yes, I'm sorry you had to encounter that…. 'Chara'."

"Y-you're not sorry." Riley whispered. "You never have been. You've… hurt your son. And you don't care."

"Hmm. Isn't it funny how though she's a human she's so perceptive?" Sans was silent, and Riley was so scared she couldn't stop shaking. "What's so ironic about this is that… I did need a human. And Sans brought you right to me. Hm… I can feel your soul human…. I feel it's power!" His eyes glowed a bright purple, he tossed the phone aside and it clattered across the floor. "It's my power now as well. Thank you, Sans, for this gift. It's with the power of this human soul…. I will rebuild the world!"

"R-RiLEy's SOul is COnneCTED TO mINE. NOT yoURS!" Sans choked.

"Oh Sans. Haven't you learned by now that your soul is now MINE?" Gaster laughed, reaching out for Riley's arm. It's over now. Riley took a step back, but she knew it was in vain. Gaster would kill her and still her soul would be his. Gaster grabbed her arm roughly.

"You'll come with me now, Riley." He would use the power to destroy the humans, lock them up underground. His new society would rise from the ashes of human civilization. His monster-only society. What humans had done centuries ago… it had been wrong. But the humans now, they didn't even remember that part of their history. The majority of them wanted peace between monsters and humans. It wasn't fair. She thought of Sans, and though she couldn't feel him she felt her intense love for him build up in her soul.

Gaster suddenly dropped her arm like it was fire, and gasped, looking at her in fury. "WHAT IS THIS?!" Riley was bewildered. She had no idea what he was talking about. "YOU'RE BURNING ME, YOU USELESS-" He scrambled back against the wall, gasping for breath, clutching his chest.

"hOW dOEs it FEel, gASteR?" Sans hissed, from the phone on the floor. "HOw doES it FEEl to hAvE a SoUL? hoW DOes it fEEL to be LOVed?!"

"How are you doing this, you pathetic girl?!" Gaster choked, pressing up against the back wall. Riley's eyes widened. She didn't understand what was happening.

"RIleY… He FEEls in thE soULs- hE feELS THAt yOu lOVe me. ThE SouLS Aren'T HiS. HE caN'T coNTAin theM."

"IMPOSSIBLE!" Gaster screamed.

"gET clOSer tO HIm." Sans cried. Riley, terrified, took a step towards her husband's father. He screamed, clutching at his ribs.

"I WILL DESTROY YOU ALL! GET BACK….!" He desperately grabbed at anything he could on the counter behind him- yanking up a large microscope and swinging it towards Riley. She dove out of the way and he stood, shakily, dashing towards the exit of the room. But the doors closed before he could reach them, a voice echoed through the speakers of the enormous computer in the room.

"tOo bAD."

"SANS! I…. I COMMAND YOU TO… OPEN THIS DOOR!" Gaster screamed.

"Are you running away from the pathetic human?" Riley snarled.

"It…. burns…" He hissed, turning towards her. "But what is a burn to me? I've been through hell and back for this opportunity. I won't… let you… take it AWAY!" He stood up to his full height (which in Sans' body was one inch shorter than riley) and grinned, diving towards her. The moment he touched her again Riley felt a burning sensation, and then, oh god. She felt him. She felt Sans. She had never been more relieved in all her life, and she had never felt more alive.

"S-sans?!" Pure love and joy filled her soul, she turned to see San's body, kneeling on the floor, facing away from her. She was scared, so scared. What if… if he wasn't….?

"Riley." The softness, the gentleness, in his voice told her all she needed to know. It was him, and when he looked up at her with his white pupils she felt tears fill her eyes.

"Sans!" She gasped, falling to her knees next to him and pulling him into her arms. He held her tightly, kissing her forehead.

"Thank… thank god you're alright." He breathed, and then his eyes widened. "F-frankie!" He stood quickly, pulling her up with him. Their son was hurt… badly.

"sAns…." There was a soft chuckle from somewhere, Sans turned quickly, looking around. "YoU idIOT. I maY NoT Be iN MY mAChinE ANy loNGEr… but I CaN STIll feeL TH-tHE TImeLinE." Her phone. Gaster was in her phone. Riley looked in horror at the small device, laying on the ground. "I'LL ReSEt it. AND nOT evEN YoU caN StoP ME."

"You're wrong." Sans whispered. "You're never going to reset the timeline again." Those words, Riley could feel, were so releasing to him. He could say it with surety now. There would never be another reset again. Sans raised his foot, and slammed it down on Riley's phone, one two, three times. Then there was silence.

"...Goodbye, dad…." Riley remained silent, looking down at the remains of her cell phone. She felt a tinge of sadness, and looked up at her husband.

"I'm sorry." She whispered. He shrugged.

"He was an asshole… but I guess… you can't choose your family."

"He was your dad. No matter how insane he turned out to be." Sans nodded slowly, and then hugged her tightly.

"I… I'm so sorry… I shouldn't have…. You shouldn't have come."

"It's alright. Come on. Frankie's hurt." She kissed his cheekbone, and quickly pulled him back the way they came. Frankie was still lying unconscious on the floor.

"Oh g-god! Frankie!" Sans gasped, kneeling next to his son. Riley knelt on his other side. She could see he had a couple fractured ribs, and a broken leg.

"Sans… we have to get him to the hospital." Riley whispered, tears in her eyes. Sans nodded slowly.

"Y-yes… Oh god… Riley this is all my fault! I should have told you everything! Everything about the machine and… and Gaster…" Sans whispered.

"Sans… this isn't your fault, sweetheart." She smiled, gently pressing a hand to his cheekbone. "Come on. We have to take him to the hospital, you know."

"Okay. Right yes…." He quickly pulls his son into his arms. "L-lets go."

* * *

They rushed to the hospital, in silence. Sans cradled Frankie in his arms and Riley drove. She was shaking terribly. When they got to the hospital all that was left to do was wait. Sans handed Frankie over to the nurses and he and Riley sat in the waiting room. She held his hand tightly, trying to reassure him.

"Your dad… he would have sent humans to the same fate you monsters had." She whispered. "You did the right thing."

"I…. Hope so." He nodded slowly.

It suddenly dawned on her what this actually meant. The resets. Those things sans so greatly feared….

"Sans…" She breathed. "The resets…." His eyes widened and he looked up, his expression changing instantly.

"They're over…" he grinned.

"Forever." she nodded. She felt the relief filling his soul, and she had never seen his expression so free of care. He was free. Free at last. Tears rolled down his cheekbones, he clutched her shirt, hugging her tightly.

"I never thought…." he sobbed, "That I would be lucky enough to find someone like you and lucky enough to have someone like Frankie. And this whole time…. This whole time I was So afraid I would lose you both in a reset and… now…." She held onto him gently, rubbing his shoulder blade.

"It's okay now." She smiled. "It's okay."

"Mr. Sans? Ms. Malloy?" A tall lion like doctor with horns and big red eyes came out from the back. "Your son has several fractured ribs and a broken leg. We've put casts on them, they should heal pretty quickly. Right now he's unconscious, but if you want to go sit with him you can."

"Yes, please!" Riley stood quickly, Sans followed eagerly.

"Follow me then, I'll take you to his room." They followed the doctor to room 124. Their son was fast asleep, the sheets pulled up to his ribs, some of which had casts.

"F-frankie!" Sans gasped, letting go of Riley's hand and rushing to the side of the bed. "Frankie…"

"He should wake up soon." The Doctor nodded. "I'll leave you be." Riley came over to where Sans was standing.

"Sans….."

"He's my son." He breathed, looking up at Riley with a bright smile and tears rolling down his cheeks. "He's my son for real now." She smiled, gently kissing the top of his skull.

* * *

When Frankie woke up it was bright in his room, he blinked, trying to adjust to the light. "D-da….?" He whispered. Fear boiled within him. What if… what if he was still underground and Gaster…

"Frankie?" He saw his mother's face and relief filled him.

"M-mom! Where's dad?! Where… where are we?" He recognized it as a hospital room only moments after he asked the question. "How… did I get here?"

"You did a good job, sweetheart." Riley smiled, gently hugging him. "Your dad's gonna be okay."

"Gaster?"

"Gone forever." She nodded. Frankie frowned, looking down at his ribs.

"Are they broken."

"Fractured."

"Fractured…" Frankie whispered. "Where is dad?"

"He went to go get lunch. He'll be so happy to see you're awake. He was kicking himself for everything that happened." She wrapped her arms around him gently. "I'm so proud of you, Frankie. You were so brave…" He smiled a little, resting his head on his mother's shoulder.

"Do my friends know?" He said.

"They know you're in the hospital." Riley nodded. "They don't know about Gaster."

"Why not?" Frankie frowned.

"No one but your dad remembers Gaster…"

"What? But… How?"

"That's probably a question for your dad, sweetheart." Just then the door swung open.

"They didn't have-" Sans blinked and then a grin spread across his face. "Frankie!" He quickly rushed over to the side of Frankie's bed. "H-how are you feeling?"

"Good!" Frankie nodded. "My ribs hurt a little, but besides that I feel good!"

"I… Good…" Sans nodded, and then he quickly pulled his son into a tight embrace. "I was…. I was so worried."

"I'm okay, Dad. Really." Frankie laughed a little. "I'm just really glad you're alright."

"Oh, Frank, I'm so… so sorry." Sans whispered. "My dad-"

"It's not your fault, Dad!" Frankie frowned. "You shouldn't be sorry, because it's not your fault." He paused and the whispered, "How come no one remembers your dad?" Sans hesitated and looked over at Riley who nodded.

"It's a long story, kiddo." Sans smiled.

"Well…" Frankie looked down at his broken leg, "I don't think I'm going to be allowed to move any time soon."

Sans chuckled. There was something different about him, Frankie could tell. He was… more carefree, he was happier. "You deserve at least an explanation…."

And so Sans told Frankie everything, from the core to the resets. And when he had finished his lengthy story, Frankie hugged him tightly.

"We fixed the fracture, dad. It won't reset ever again."

* * *

I don't know how you keep on hurting yourself. Frisk signed with a roll of their eyes.

"It wasn't my fault. I tripped." Frankie shrugged. "And fell. A lot."

"Well, you should be more careful, Frankie." Ella huffed. "You missed a lot of school already!"

"Oh don't worry about that, dear one." Toriel smiled, "We can help you catch up."

I can't believe you fell down stairs. Frisk laughed a little. That's pretty clumsy.

"Hey, you fell down the treehouse ladder last week." Frankie grinned. "Besides, Mom says it's because I'm getting taller."

"Taller. Already?" Sans shook his head, "You're growing up too fast, kid."

"HEY!" Undyne burst in, as per usual. "WHO DID IT THIS TIME?! I'LL KICK THEIR-"

"I just fell down the stairs." Frankie shrugged.

"Oh n-no." Alphys came behind Undyne, baby Zuko babbling happily in her arms.

"I'm okay, I promise." Frankie said.

"FRANKIE!" Papyrus came rushing in from the hall. "I FINISHED IT, I FINISHED THE DRAWING JUST FOR YOU!" He held up a quickly scribbled drawing of spaghetti.

"Thanks, Uncle Paps!" Frankie cried.

"Hey." Riley smiled. "Isn't it Tuesday?" Frankie grinned over at Frisk and Ella and signed,

Guess we'll be having Spaghetti Night in the hospital.

Sans put his arm around Riley and pulled her into a warm hug, "Best Tuesday night in the world."

Frankie grinned at his parents. He knew when Sans said that, he meant it was the first real one, and he was finally free.

* * *

It was a cold day, and the snow fell lightly on the stepping stones that lead up to Toriel and Asgore's house. Frankie carefully straightened his suit tie and holly boutonniere. Then he gripped his crutches tightly.

"Hey." Sans chuckled. "How are you doing there, kiddo?"

"Pretty good!"

Sans grinned, hugging his son quickly, "Lets… get inside, huh? They're gonna be here soon." Frankie nodded. It was a month after the incident with Gaster, and it had been the most care-free month Sans had ever experienced. He had started working on his own inventions, forgetting completely about Gaster's work, and slowly he was gaining precedence in the science community. Riley was continuing to work at Frankie's school library. And when Iro left to become a stay at home dad for his adopted son, Riley took over as head librarian. Riley. The reason he was here now, the reason he lived. His life, his love, his everything.

"SANS!" Papyrus threw open the door with a scream. "THEY'LL BE HERE SOON, GET IN HERE!" Sans chuckled.

"I'm coming."

"Come on, Dad." Frankie grinned. "Today's your day." They made their way into the house, flowers and ribbons decorated the entry way- red and white. Riley had wanted it sort of Christmas-y theme. Besides, Sans had to admit that the green and red holly went so well with white and black. Asgore and Toriel's living room had been cleared out of furniture. Instead a beautiful arch decorated with holly and white and red poinsettias stood in the center. The room was decorated with ribbons and white roses.

"AH! The groooooom!" Mettaton gasped. "At last! Come now! The bridal party will be here soon!" Sans grinned over at where Undyne sat at the piano and Asgore and Papyrus stood waiting.

"Come on, Dad." Frankie grinned, moving over next to Papyrus and Asgore. Sans grinned, coming over to stand next to Mettaton. It was only a few seconds later when Undyne began to play the piano and Sans turned around. Frisk had happily taken on the job of tossing petals- red and white rose petals. Behind them was Alphys, wearing a deep red gown. She was Riley's one bridesmaid. She held Zuko- the little ringbearer (the rings were safely concealed in a box). Toriel came after. She was Riley's maid of honor, dressed in the same dark red as Alphys.

And then there she was. She was absolutely stunning, in her brilliant white dress. Her bright red curls were pulled up into a loose bun. She smiled brightly, her cheeks tinted red. My everything.

She joined him next to Mettaton. Sans took her hand, grinning over at her. "I love you."

"Tsk. You have no idea, bonehead." She grinned in response.

* * *

 **REVIEWS FOR CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT:**

 **aduralove:** Thanks for the encouragement, but I know Sans and Riley need encouragement to take down Gaster! AND GASTER CAUSED THE RESETS?! Noooooo... how could he do that to his own son? forcing him to die so much, relieving such PAINFUL memories. And it's fine, I understand school. I'm starting advanced 6th grade and there is sO MUCH HOMEWORK AND TESTS I barley have any time to read this anymore. well I'm going to wallow in saddness because of this chapter and study for tests.  
99999999999999999(infinate 9s)/10 Would rereread again!

 _Ah... my first review reply in a long time! hehe! Good luck on the homework and tests! I know you can do it! (I myself am struggling with time to write! and NaNoWriMo begins soon! Ah!) So glad you liked the chapter!_

 **Ed's. Curious. Kitten:** Would Sans be able to see using the camera? Just a thought. SAVE FRANKIE! DUNK GASTER! KEEP IT UP!

 _Sans can see, even if there wasn't a camera. He's basically just disembodied, so he can still see everything around him and process it. Just like Gaster, when he was in the machine, could see Sans._

 **IKursteen:** And after 2 weeks it's finally here :D

This was a good chapter. Sans is pretty much gone now, isn't he? Gaster is  
Much worse than I thought, but you did a great job forming his character. And...  
Is this the plot twist? That Gasters the one who caused the resets?

*Sees Riley's scarf in the story*

OMFG SCARF I MISS YOU CAN I GIVE YOU A HUG?! PWEESE?

*Sees bus outside*

Crud. I gotta go to High School now ;-;

 _Yesssss! It IS the plot twist! Gaster caused the resets. :)_

 **DezyBear:** GASTER THE BASTARD! BEHOLD GASTER THE FUCKING BASTARD- I LOVE THIS STORY!

 _Indeed! I'm so glad you like it!_

 **MechaSniper51:** Boi,prepare ur anus

 _0_0_

 **TeresaCake:** Me: *Casually reading through chapter* Wait...GASTER YOU MOTHER F**CKER!

Seriously. Gaster what the f*ck?! Why the f*ck would you do that Gaster?! WHY?!

Also...once again, I'm asking this basically every chapter, but...is THIS the plot twist?!

Seriously, this HAS to be the plot twist. There's no way it isn't.

Also, Gaster is a douchepickle. Which is the worst insult ever.

 _He did it because he's an ass douche who doesn't care about anyone but his silly revenge complex, and YES! It is the plot twist! Gaster is the one who caused the resets._

 **agklover1221:** *Megalo strikes back* plays, gAsTEr, do you wanna have a bad time?

 _He doesn't but he certainly got one. lol_

 **TheRandomDreeMurr:** It's not working... Maybe I already am in mobile mode. It lets me take the picture but then it says something like: this file is not marked x-empty. It's super frustrating -_-

(If Frankie is dead I will track you down and punch you in the face. Lolokloveyoubye)

 _Huh, yeah I dunno how that all works..._

 _He not dead, I promise! 0o0_

 **sceera1:** Gaster's just as much a bastard as flowey in some other stories i've read. The little shit. That's saying something since Flowey set the bar pretty high.  
It doesn't make much sense to me for Gaster to be the source of the resets. I won't ask anything since it will likely be explained in the next chapter.

 _Voila! I hope it all makes sense now! :)_

 **Another Peepul:** YAYS! ANOTHER CHAPTER! And action! Against Gaster

 _Yas! Gaster must be destroyed! :D_

 **PurpleLines:** Hey. So I'm gonna be offline for a while, since exams are coming up and will soon be out for my blood. But. I was able to catch up! So I guess it's high time I left a review

Chapter 46: WELL SHIT BOI  
Chapter 47: Did...Did he die...? NO. FUDGE NO. NOOOOOOOO.  
Chapter 48: (beginning) Gaster, would you be so kind as to shut the hell up before I come and wreck your shit? What the...*inhales, exhales* GASTER FRICKING CAUSED THE RESETS?! WAHFGHISUHAIDDSDAUIDSDFDFAAAAAAAAAAAA-

I agree with Anonymous 100%. I am getting REALYY sick and tired of all of Gaster's bullshit.

*preps the torches* So umm...I'm just gonna go get a picture of your Gaster, light a fire, and throw it in. And laugh all maniacally like Cakegirl while I do it. No hard feelings, okay? *stomps off to do exactly just that, then joins Ed's. Curious. Kitten on the Dunk Campaign*

((Also that kind of makes Sans on the same plane of existence as Chara's ghost. Which is awesome. Also I send a Swiss Army knife so Flowey can protect himself from whatever's hunting him down. See you after the exams!))

 _Ha! Awesome! I hope your exams went well! I'm getting close to my own! Ah!_

 **Guest:** Gaster is definitely a f***ing asster.  
RILEY KICK HIS BUTT!

 _Done. ;)_

 **Guest:** GASTER WTF?! DO YOU HOW MUCH YOU HAVE AND ARE HURTING YOUR SO! YOU EVIL BASTERD!  
shit. why do I love this story!?

 _Ah! I'm glad you love it! Thanks for reading! :D_

 **Nightmare-Miss-13:** Just Haunting Through... *Frankie gets all heroic* dunk dunk dunk Dunk Dunk Dunk DUnk DUnk DUnk DUNk DUNk DUNk DUNK DUNK DUNK DUNK DUNK!1!  
Be Ready Gaster; For the worst of times!  
*Frankie gets hurt* *Throws Knife at Gaster* FUCK YOU!  
*Sees well placed cliff hanger *Frowns*  
GASTER *Summons scythe* FUCK YOU YOU ARE A BASTARD!1!  
I need some nice cream to counter this rage...

 _You're gonna really like the second book if you like Frankie being heroic. ;P_

 _How'd you guys like that long break where I didn't have any time to write? I'm hoping to get my time managed better, I'm just getting used to my school schedule._

 **JunebugPokemon:** Oh my gosh I am SO sorry for being a show stealer! I read the story offline so I copy and pasted my review, and I sent the wrong one! I'm sorry ;-;  
Anyways, good show! Frankie uses the power of Justice against Gaster, and Riley helps a little with her hybrid soul's magic (would it be kindness or integrity magic?). So Riley did get magic! When Asster is annihilated in one way or another, I'll bet Sans will teach Riley how to control her magic. It's bound to be powerful, with her part human soul and all. And you better not kill off Sans to get rid of Gaster! Storyshift Chara would NOT like that. (Shift Chara: I've got my eye on you...) And the powers of Justice, Kindness, and Integrity need to DUNK ASSTER! Riley, you need to do exactly as Sans said (whatever it is) to gain back your (literally) other half! Me and my crew of OCs and AUs are counting on you! Also, Gaster made Sans have purple eyes instead of white. Does this mean that Asster has the power of Perseverance? That would make so much sense, because that means he would have acted a different way to get Sans to make the machine work if he had other magic, or wouldn't have tried to make Sans do it at all. But he also says that he helped the smol human (who I assume is Frisk) reset by giving them enough determination to do it. That could also mean that he has Determination, but isn't that only in humans? Anyways, sorry about the mix-up, and the chapter was great. A cliff-hanger though... Keep on writing, and the crew of OCs and AUs says howdy!

 _I don't even remember what you're talking about lmao, but I'm sure it's totally chill._

 _Ah yes, I think I have to fix that. Gaster reset around the time frisk came because Frisk's determination would reset the timeline on it's own, only if the timeline was fractured. So gaster, in reality is to blame for the resets because he fractured the timeline._

 **Lynja Fairy:** You are awesome, and I'm willing to wait as long as it takes. This is your story, and you are generously sharing it with us out of the kindness of your hearts. Thank you. Plus, if you do good at school, then you can get a stable job and not have to worry about money so much.

Wowie sans! You're just like my favorite TV star Mettaton!

Gaster's next goal is probably to collect the already harvested human souls once he decides that Riley isn't worth it.

Also, how do you make sure that the text remains in italics/bolded/underlined when converting it to Fanfiction word docs? It keeps turning into normal text for me.

 _Thank you so much! That means a lot! I know it won't be every three days for a long time, but I certainly hope it's not as long as a month this time._

 _So, I copy and paste from google drive (because my cousins and I share the docs, so they have to be on google drive). I think sometimes I just have to go through and re-italicize stuff that is no longer in italics. I don't know. All the reviews I type on the fanfiction site itself so they stay the same. Um... but for docs, it's just sometimes they do that and sometimes they don't._

 **Anonymous:** Anon here again with this horrible reaction(I'm sorry this is so long)

Sans: stay away from me!

Little Bitch Gaster(can't think of anything clever): hELL No BItCH

Me: stoooooooooop

*Little Bitch takes over Sans' body*

Me: STOOOOOOP

*Riley & .::FRANKU_420::. in the lab*

Little Bitch Gaster: Hello Riley

Riles: U ain't mY hUssbanno!1!

*Little Bitch G insults Riley multiple times*

Me: Shits bout to go DOWN!

.::FRANKU_420::.: *Triggered*SHUT YO BITCH ASS UP

Little Bitch Gaster: Excuse me?

*.::FRANKU_420::. pimp slaps Little Bitch*

Me: HOLY SHIT FRANKIE! NOW YO-

*Littlest Bitch Shop throws a FUCKING 9 year old across the room*

Me: STOP YOU CUNT

*.::FRANKU_420::. gets up like nothing happened*

Me: You're the fucking bomb, Frankie

.::FRANKU_420::.: FITE ME M8

*Riley attempts at saving teh Franku*

*Summons bone*

Me: SAAAAY WHAAAAAAT

*LBG throws him into the floor*

Me: ARE. YOU. KIDDING ME?!

Rest in spaghetti  
Never forgetti  
Rest now my sweet prince  
Frankie the fresh prince of bel air 87bc-2016

Sans: You used to call me on the cell phone  
midni-

Riley: Sans, what th- WAIT SANS

Me: what the frick

Sans: heyyyyy ;)))))))  
You should be careful, Gaster will beat your ass if your not careful enough

Me: DID YOU FORGET BOUT YER SON

Sans: Also I think are son is dead.

Me: Nevermind

*back at the lab*

Riley: Are son is hurt really bad!

Me: No shit Sherlock

*in true lab*

Little Bitch Gaster: THIS IS MY LAB *bork bork* AND THIS IS MY LABORATORY

Riley: '_'

Little Bitch Gaster: "I simply encouraged the small human to reset by giving them the ability to do so…"

Me: you motherfucker

 _Wow! I am sorry but this is the best thing ever! Made me laugh! :D_

 **Glitch:** Well...other than my boiling rage at Gaster, the story is amazing. I really hope to read more soon.

 _Yes! I'm glad you enjoy it!_

 **JustARandomGal:** (On guest account cuz I forgot my password for like the 3d time XD) I switched to mobile mode when I was signed in and it still didn't work... It said something like "this file isn't marked as x-emty" it's really frustrating and I nearly flipped my shit trying to figure it out ;-;

 _Huh... yeah, I really don't know. Maybe you should contact fanfiction... I believe there's a way to do that._

 **MachUPB:** He... he did WHAT!  
*Inhales deeply.*  
IMMA JOINING THE RESISTANCE AGAINST GASTER! NGAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!  
*Spear of Justice begins to play.*

Great chapter yet again. I look forward to the next. :)

 _lol! I'm glad you like it!_

 **JunebugPokemon:** Second Review That Probably Won't Happen Very Much (Supporting, Start!): Thank you so much for updating this continuously! With schoolwork and family and just life (oh my!), I know how hard balancing all this stuff must be, as I don't have much free time, and I'm sure you're in a higher grade than I am! But no matter how crazy your schedule gets, ALWAYS LEAVE TIME FOR US! Just kidding, leave time for you! Have like a half an hour to yourself to read a paper book, color (what, it's relaxing), write, surf the internet, or whatever suits your fancy! Oh, I'm probably just taking up your time to do stuff (like homework or maybe sleep, I'm a sleepless demon with a coffee and an energy drink in each hand), so I'll leave you to your hardworking, sleeping, or whatever you do at like 11 pm, haha! Keep on writing, and remember to set aside time for yourself! You're important too, not just your grades and amazing writing! Well, I'm just being too fluffy now... Raar, hope you have a good day at school tomorrow, with some nice subs and movies!  
And, Shift Chara and Asriel say hi, and so do Flaming Fox, Thunder, and Lightning (currently battling, again)  
See ya! ·

 _Thank you sooo so much! This is amazing and I'm so glad for this. It's very encouraging and I really appreciate it!_

 _I hope you liked this chapter! (hah, I'm in college, but we still get movies sometimes ;D )_

 **JustARandomGal:** If you kill off Frankie. I. . .

 _shhh... the smolskele is safe indeed_

 **Harris:** I really really hope you guys are ok. It's been a long time since the last update...

 _Haha, yes! We're fine! We're just trying to get used to our school schedules. I think me more than my cousin. It's been a year since I was in school..._

 **Random Person:** U LEAVE ON CLIFFHANGER!Y U SO EVILLLLLL!THIS STORY IS REALLY GOOD AND YOU LEAVE IT ON A CLIFFHANGER ARGHHHHHH!*proceeds to walk outside to a nearby cliff and almost jumps when I realize they're proberly not walks back inside and sleeps until the story updates.*

 _I'm so glad you like it! I hope you enjoyed this chapter!_

 **Guest:** Hello! I see it's almost been a month since a post has happened.

Please don't worry. I'm sure you are dealing with a lot of things right now (I predict school-work is pushing you back) and no matter how long it takes, I will still be faithful to waiting and remember that like Harris said...

Personal life comes first. Now go out and enjoy yourself and do well for me at your college :)

Also, I was extremely lazy and decided to use my guest account cause why not. Also, our tiny little Siamese kitten decided to go into heat at barely 5 months old. We got her spayed today instead of Halloween since we didn't want our kitten... to have kittens!

I shall see you in the next chapter, however long it takes! Bye for now :D

 _Hi! I know I knowwww... It makes me sad, but I hope I can make It more like every two weeks or something._

 _Thank you so much! :) I really appreciate you guys understanding!_

 _Aw! What's your little kitty's name? We just recently got two kittens, they're sooo cute! One of them is an orange tabby an the other one is black. The orange one is named Julius, and the black one is named Macchiato. 3_

 **THANK YOU GUYS SO MUCH for your patience and for the reviews! Be on the lookout! I have a little surprise for y'all tomorrow. (nyeheheh!)**

 **-MH_C**


	50. Chapter 50: Epilogue

**Hello everyone! Welcome to the final chapter of "Fractured"! Thank you all for coming on this adventure with us! Stay tuned for our next installment** **of this TRILOGY: "Captivated"!**

 **Enjoy!**

 **-MH_C**

* * *

The soft yellow light filtered through the white curtains. The room was quiet and warm. Sans and Riley were sitting on the bed together, Sans' arms wrapped around his wife. It had taken several months, broken promises, and plenty of money spent. But they had wanted a baby, more than anything. They had tried adoption, but they all fell through. There had been one other option-the hospital's sperm bank. Now they finally had what they had always dreamed of.

"She's beautiful." Sans whispered, probably for the thousandth time that afternoon. Riley smiled, gently straightening her daughter's little hat. "Our Anya." Their baby stirred a little, but remained fast asleep in her mother's arms. Anya had a tuft of dark hair on the top of her head, and big blue eyes which Sans hoped would change to match Riley's beautiful green. Sans had never seen a human so small, she was absolutely perfect, and he was in love with her. She had the tiniest little hands, which Riley had carefully concealed in little mittens. Her little feet, now imprinted on her birth record, were so small. Sans was terrified of holding her, terrified he might break her. She was so fragile. But she was his princess, he loved her more than all the stars in the sky. He knew Riley felt the same. Her soul was so warm and full of joy.

Frankie stepped into the room with a big smile. He had already met his little sister, and he had sworn to always be there for her, to always protect her. She was the little sibling he had always wanted. "Hey, Dad. Look! You made the front page!" He held up a copy of EBOTT TIMES. Right across the top, in big bold letters, were the words: MONSTER SCIENTIST UNVEILS "RILITE"-CHANGING THE WORLD. The page had a large picture of Sans standing next to his lightweight metal. It was docked to the floor with chains so that it wouldn't float off. He had created the unbelievably lightweight metal in his lab, not long after Gaster. He hadn't unveiled it until the other day. He wanted to make sure that it was what he was going to advertise it as. He wanted to make sure it was perfect. When it was ready he named it after Riley, and he had proudly told the press the same. He could never miss the opportunity to brag about her. She was his world, after all.

"Wow… Sans, that's amazing!" Riley grinned. He shrugged.

"Not quite as amazing as this." He gestured to their little girl.

"Oh yeah! Um… Uncle Paps is waiting in the hall. He really wants to meet her." Frankie said, gesturing to the door.

"Of course!" Riley nodded, smiling brightly. "Let him in!" Frankie turned back to go get his Uncle and Sans settled back down against the back of the bed, scanning the news article a little. It did mention Riley. He was glad for that.

"SANS!" Papyrus burst in, followed by Frankie who was trying to shush the taller skeleton.

"Bro, you gotta be quiet. You'll wake Anya."

"WHERE IS SHE?!" He looked about in anticipation, trying to find the small human Sans had been talking about.

"She's right here." Riley said, gently holding up Anya for Papyrus to see.

"WHAT?! THAT'S A SMALL HUMAN?!" He looked shocked. He had never seen a human so small in all his life.

"She's a baby." Frankie explained. "They're very small when they're first born."

"BUT…. BUT… WOWIEEE! SHE IS VERY SMALL!"

"Do you want to hold her?" Riley asked. Papyrus looked nervous but then shoved it aside.

"OF COURSE I DO!" He nodded proudly. Riley gestured for him to come sit on the side of the bed, and then she gently passed him her daughter, showing him how to hold her carefully. Papyrus looked down at the tiny baby in bewilderment.

"SANS, I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU AND RILEY MADE A HUMAN BABY." He gasped.

"Uh… well, it's not really like that, bro-"

"UM. WHAT DO YOU DO WITH HER?"

"Mostly she just sleeps and eats." Frankie laughed.

"SLEEPS AND EATS… EATS?! I BET SHE'LL LOVE MY SPAGHETTI! NYEHEHEHEH!"

"She's just a baby, Papyrus." Riley frowned, "She can't eat spaghetti. She doesn't have any teeth."

"TEETH?! WHY NOT?!"

"She's too little. They'll grow in when she's old enough to digest solid food." She replied.

"OH WELL! THEN SHE CAN TRY MY SPAGHETTI!"

"Yes, and I'm sure she'll love it." Sans chuckled.

"SURELY SHE'LL BE OLD ENOUGH SOON! I'M GOING TO GO MAKE SOME SPAGHETTI RIGHT NOW!" He gasped, carefully handing Anya over to Frankie.

"Uh…" Sans was about to try and explain that Riley meant several months, but decided that it would probably be in vain anyways. "You go ahead and do that, bro." He shrugged with a little laugh. Papyrus dashed out of the room.

"I guess I'll stay here with you guys." Frankie laughed and then looked down at his baby sister to see she was just waking up. "Hi, Anya!" He smiled, gently rocking her a little. "I'm Frankie, your big brother. Someday I'm gonna teach you all sorts of things. I'm going to teach you how to tie your shoes, and how to climb ladders so you can get into Frisk's treehouse. And you're going to be the bestest little sister in the whole wide world. You just wait." He sighed. "It's going to be perfect."

Sans couldn't describe it any better than that.

* * *

 **REVIEWS FOR CHAPTER FORTY-NINE:**

 **aduralove:** WELL OH MY. AN UPDATE. A HAPPY UPDATE. LIFE IS AMAZING.  
This chapter, just, OMG. Resests. GONE. OTP? MARRIED. Zuko? IN IT. Frankie? HAPPY. Sans? HAPPY. THIS IS JUST OH MY GODS AHH Thanks so much for this wonderful story. Is this a sequel I hear? I can't wait to read it! Thank you for such a beautiful story. I don't know what else to say except my outro! As always, 99999999999999999999(infinate 9s)/10, Would rereread again, you fantabulous people.

 _Yesss! I'm so glad you like it! The sequel is coming soon! 3_

 _-MH_C_

 **Ed's. Curious. Kitten:** I'm so happy! XD Keep it up!

 _I'm so glad you like it! 3_

 _-MH_C_

 ** **Lynja Fairy:** Voldemort is Gaster. Riely and sans are Harry Potter. The power of love BURNS those with LOVE. It is like the first book in the series. Then Molde Volde tries to take over Harry's soul with his soul fragment in him.  
Gaster is gone forever? NOOOOO! JK, I'm Rowling with laughter and happiness with his last moments being a mettaton copy cat (or copy tem).**

 ** _Awesome parallels! Gotta love Harry Potter! And yes, Gaster is gone for good! 3_**

 ** _-MH_C_**

 **PurpleLines:** SequelsequelsequelseQUELSEQUELSEQUELSEQUEL! IT'S COMING! THE SEQUEL! *runs around in excitement but then trips and falls on the floor* I'm okay!

Whew! I'm back! Man, I hate exams. But, unfortunately, they are necessary in the life of a student. I hope you'll do good in yours! You know, when I took the exam at mine it seemed strangely easy. I mean, density and mass? biology and geology? It was pretty ok. But then...

DUN DUN DUUUUN! Math practically killed me. XD

SAVE ME I FORGOT THE FORMULAS ;_;

But aaanyways...I have a question. How does one quickly make a reader transition from scared to happy within a single chapter that isn't that long (compared to others I've seen)? Honestly how do you do it. It's incredible.

Also I just realized how ironic it is that the Prince of the Fire Nation is named Zuko.

But I really loved this chapter! We finally get to have the danger of the RESET taken away and Gaster gets the ass-kicking he deserves! Haha! And all's well that ends well with the UT people. And the WEDDING! MY GOSH! HAAAAAAA-

But anyways, great chapter, and I can't wait for the sequel! Seeya later! Good luck for your exams!

 _YASS THE SEQUELLL! Um... As for your question... That's a tough one. I think the key is feeling the emotion yourself. You know, put yourself in the character's shoes and try to imagine how you'd feel in that situation and paint that picture. I know lots of people say "show don't tell" and I think that's very true. Try and describe your character's feelings by how they're acting, don't say "she was sad" (I know this one is sooooo tough, and I don't follow it as well as I should). It all ends with your audience feeling connected to your characters. Because once your audience connects to those characters they'll feel those emotions in your story!_

 _Thanks for sticking with us! 3_

 _-MH_C_

 **MachUPB:** YAS! FEAR THE POWER OF LOVE, GASTER!  
Wait, hang on. *Reads about wedding.* OHMIGOSHWE'VEALLBEENWAITINGFORTHISSINCETHESTARTOFSANLEY!  
*Calms down and clears throat.*  
This is. The best. Thing. Ever. XD  
I look forward to the next chapter. :D

 _:D Yesss! Sansley wedding! 3_

 _-MH_C_

 **OmegaNerd152:** Please say this isn't the end to a great story!

 _Nope! Stay tuned for the sequel: "Captivated"!_

 **THANK YOU ALL for sticking with us! And I can't wait to see you all in our sequel! Coming soon!**


	51. COVER RELEASE

**Hey, everyone! Check out our tumblr blog for SNEAK PREVIEWS and the release of the cover for "CAPTIVATED"! Make your wild and amazing guesses in our ask box. Be featured on the blog with your own fanart or any questions you have for the characters! ;) see you all soon!**

 **Chapter one of CAPTIVATED is coming up next!**

 **-MH_C**


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